Isaiah 40 - New Century Version (NCV)

Israel’s Punishment Will End

40 Your God says,
“Comfort, comfort my people.
2 Speak kindly to the people of Jerusalem
and tell them
that their time of service is finished,
that they have paid for their sins,
that the Lord has punished Jerusalem
twice for every sin they did.”
3 This is the voice of one who calls out:
“Prepare in the desert
the way for the Lord.
Make a straight road in the dry lands
for our God.
4 Every valley should be raised up,
and every mountain and hill should be made flat.
The rough ground should be made level,
and the rugged ground should be made smooth.
5 Then the glory of the Lord will be shown,
and all people together will see it.
The Lord himself said these things.”

6 A voice says, “Cry out!”
Then I said, “What shall I cry out?”

“Say all people are like the grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass dies and the flowers fall
when the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are like grass.
8 The grass dies and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God will live forever.”
9 Jerusalem, you have good news to tell.
Go up on a high mountain.
Jerusalem, you have good news to tell.
Shout out loud the good news.
Shout it out and don’t be afraid.
Say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God.”
10 Look, the Lord God is coming with power
to rule all the people.
Look, he will bring reward for his people;
he will have their payment with him.
11 He takes care of his people like a shepherd.
He gathers them like lambs in his arms
and carries them close to him.
He gently leads the mothers of the lambs.

God Is Supreme

12 Who has measured the oceans in the palm of his hand?
Who has used his hand to measure the sky?
Who has used a bowl to measure all the dust of the earth
and scales to weigh the mountains and hills?
13 Who has known the mind of the Lord
or been able to give him advice?
14 Whom did he ask for help?
Who taught him the right way?
Who taught him knowledge
and showed him the way to understanding?

15 The nations are like one small drop in a bucket;
they are no more than the dust on his measuring scales.
To him the islands are no more than fine dust on his scales.
16 All the trees in Lebanon are not enough for the altar fires,
and all the animals in Lebanon are not enough for burnt offerings.
17 Compared to the Lord all the nations are worth nothing;
to him they are less than nothing.

18 Can you compare God to anything?
Can you compare him to an image of anything?
19 An idol is formed by a craftsman,
and a goldsmith covers it with gold
and makes silver chains for it.
20 A poor person cannot buy those expensive statues,
so he finds a tree that will not rot.
Then he finds a skilled craftsman
to make it into an idol that will not fall over.

21 Surely you know. Surely you have heard.
Surely from the beginning someone told you.
Surely you understand how the earth was created.
22 God sits on his throne above the circle of the earth,
and compared to him, people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the skies like a piece of cloth
and spreads them out like a tent to sit under.
23 He makes rulers unimportant
and the judges of this world worth nothing.
24 They are like plants that are placed in the ground,
like seeds that are planted.
As soon as they begin to grow strong,
he blows on them and they die,
and the wind blows them away like chaff.

25 God, the Holy One, says, “Can you compare me to anyone?
Is anyone equal to me?”
26 Look up to the skies.
Who created all these stars?
He leads out the army of heaven one by one
and calls all the stars by name.
Because he is strong and powerful,
not one of them is missing.

27 People of Jacob, why do you complain?
People of Israel, why do you say,
“The Lord does not see what happens to me;
he does not care if I am treated fairly”?
28 Surely you know.
Surely you have heard.
The Lord is the God who lives forever,
who created all the world.
He does not become tired or need to rest.
No one can understand how great his wisdom is.
29 He gives strength to those who are tired
and more power to those who are weak.
30 Even children become tired and need to rest,
and young people trip and fall.
31 But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again.
They will rise up as an eagle in the sky;
they will run and not need rest;
they will walk and not become tired.

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Isaiah 40 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

40 Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people, saith your God. 2 Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, That her warfare hath been completed, That accepted hath been her punishment, That she hath received from the hand of Jehovah Double for all her sins. 3 A voice is crying -- in a wilderness -- P...
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Isaiah 40 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

40 My people, be ye comforted, be ye comforted, saith your Lord God. (My people, be ye comforted, yea, be ye comforted, saith the Lord your God.) 2 Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem, and call ye [to] it, for the malice thereof is [ful]filled, the wickedness thereof is forgiven; it hath received of ...
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Isaiah 40 - World English Bible (WEB)

40 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.” 3 The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in th...
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Isaiah 40 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Isaiah 40 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Comfort, Proclaim Good News40 “Comfort, comfort My people,”says your God.2 Speak kindly to the heart of Jerusalemand proclaim to herthat her warfare has ended,that her iniquity has been removed.For she has received from Adonai’s hand double for all her sins.3 A voice cries out in the wilderness,“Pre...
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Isaiah 40 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

God’s People Are Comforted40 [a]Comfort, comfort my people,says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat her warfare[b] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries:“In the wilderness prepare the way of ...
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Isaiah 40 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

God’s People Are Comforted40 Comfort, comfort my people,says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat her warfare[a] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries:“In the wilderness prepare the way of the...
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Isaiah 40 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

God’s People Are Comforted40 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat she has served her term, that her penalty is paid,that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out:“In the wilderness prepare the way of t...
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Isaiah 40 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

God’s People Are Comforted40 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat she has served her term, that her penalty is paid,that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out:‘In the wilderness prepare the way of t...
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Isaiah 40 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

God’s People Are Comforted40 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.(A)2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat she has served her term, that her penalty is paid,that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.(B)3 A voice cries out:“In the wilderness prepare the way...
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Isaiah 40 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Comfort for God’s People40 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned.Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.” 3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,“Clear the way through the wil...
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Isaiah 40 - New Life Version (NLV)

God’s People Have Hope40 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. 2 “Speak kind words to Jerusalem. Call out to her that her time of war has ended, that her sin has been taken away, and that she has received from the Lord’s hand twice as much for all her sins.” 3 A voice is calling, “Make the w...
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Isaiah 40 - New King James Version (NKJV)

God’s People Are Comforted(A)40 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!”Says your God.2 “Speak [a]comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,That her warfare is ended,That her iniquity is pardoned;(B)For she has received from the Lord’s handDouble for all her sins.” 3 (C)The voice of one crying in the wilde...
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Isaiah 40 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Comfort for God’s people40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to herthat her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for,that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice of one calling:‘In the wildern...
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Isaiah 40 - New International Version (NIV)

Comfort for God’s People40 Comfort, comfort(A) my people, says your God.2 Speak tenderly(B) to Jerusalem, and proclaim to herthat her hard service(C) has been completed,(D) that her sin has been paid for,(E)that she has received from the Lord’s hand double(F) for all her sins. 3 A voice of one calli...
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Isaiah 40 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

God Comforts His People40 “Comfort my people,” says your God. “Comfort them.2 Speak tenderly to the people of Jerusalem. Announce to themthat their hard labor has been completed. Tell them that their sin has been paid for.Tell them the Lord has punished them enough for all their sins.” 3 A messenger...
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Isaiah 40 - New English Translation (NET)

The Lord Returns to Jerusalem40 “Comfort, comfort my people,”says your[a] God.2 “Speak kindly to[b] Jerusalem and tell herthat her time of warfare is over,[c]that her punishment is completed.[d]For the Lord has made her pay double[e] for all her sins.”3 A voice cries out,“In the wilderness clear a w...
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