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A voice is calling in the wilderness, “Clear the way of Yahweh!
    Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God!
Every valley shall be lifted up,
    and every mountain and hill shall become low,
And the rough ground shall be like a plain,
    and the rugged ground like a valley-plain.
And the glory of Yahweh shall be revealed,
    and all humankind[a] together shall see it,

for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.”

A voice is saying, “Call!”
    And he said, “What shall I call?”
All humankind[b] are grass,
    and all his loyalty is like the flowers of the field.
Grass withers; the flower withers
when the breath of Yahweh blows on it.
    Surely the people are grass.
Grass withers; the flower withers,
    but[c] the word of our God will stand forever.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:5 Literally “flesh”
  2. Isaiah 40:6 Literally “flesh”
  3. Isaiah 40:8 Or “and”

A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way(A) for the Lord[a];
make straight(B) in the desert
    a highway for our God.[b](C)
Every valley shall be raised up,(D)
    every mountain and hill(E) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(F)
    the rugged places a plain.
And the glory(G) of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.(H)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(I)

A voice says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,(J)
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers(K) and the flowers fall,
    because the breath(L) of the Lord blows(M) on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers(N) fall,
    but the word(O) of our God endures(P) forever.(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
  2. Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,
“Clear the way through the wilderness
    for the Lord!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland
    for our God!
Fill in the valleys,
    and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves,
    and smooth out the rough places.
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
    The Lord has spoken!”[a]

A voice said, “Shout!”
    I asked, “What should I shout?”

“Shout that people are like the grass.
    Their beauty fades as quickly
    as the flowers in a field.
The grass withers and the flowers fade
    beneath the breath of the Lord.
    And so it is with people.
The grass withers and the flowers fade,
    but the word of our God stands forever.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 40:3-5 Greek version reads He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, / “Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! / Clear a road for our God! / Fill in the valleys, / and level the mountains and hills. / And then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, / and all people will see the salvation sent from God. / The Lord has spoken!” Compare Matt 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4-6.