Isaiah 40 - The Message (MSG)

Messages of Comfort

Prepare for God’s Arrival

40 1-2 “Comfort, oh comfort my people,”
says your God.
“Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem,
but also make it very clear
That she has served her sentence,
that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!
She’s been punished enough and more than enough,
and now it’s over and done with.”

3-5 Thunder in the desert!
“Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road straight and smooth,
a highway fit for our God.
Fill in the valleys,
level off the hills,
Smooth out the ruts,
clear out the rocks.
Then God’s bright glory will shine
and everyone will see it.
Yes. Just as God has said.”

6-8 A voice says, “Shout!”
I said, “What shall I shout?”

“These people are nothing but grass,
their love fragile as wildflowers.
The grass withers, the wildflowers fade,
if God so much as puffs on them.
Aren’t these people just so much grass?
True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade,
but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.”

9-11 Climb a high mountain, Zion.
You’re the preacher of good news.
Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem.
You’re the preacher of good news.
Speak loud and clear. Don’t be timid!
Tell the cities of Judah,
“Look! Your God!”
Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power,
ready to go into action.
He is going to pay back his enemies
and reward those who have loved him.
Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock,
gathering the lambs in his arms,
Hugging them as he carries them,
leading the nursing ewes to good pasture.

The Creator of All You Can See or Imagine

12-17 Who has scooped up the ocean
in his two hands,
or measured the sky between his thumb and little finger,
Who has put all the earth’s dirt in one of his baskets,
weighed each mountain and hill?
Who could ever have told God what to do
or taught him his business?
What expert would he have gone to for advice,
what school would he attend to learn justice?
What god do you suppose might have taught him what he knows,
showed him how things work?
Why, the nations are but a drop in a bucket,
a mere smudge on a window.
Watch him sweep up the islands
like so much dust off the floor!
There aren’t enough trees in Lebanon
nor enough animals in those vast forests
to furnish adequate fuel and offerings for his worship.
All the nations add up to simply nothing before him—
less than nothing is more like it. A minus.

18-20 So who even comes close to being like God?
To whom or what can you compare him?
Some no-god idol? Ridiculous!
It’s made in a workshop, cast in bronze,
Given a thin veneer of gold,
and draped with silver filigree.
Or, perhaps someone will select a fine wood—
olive wood, say—that won’t rot,
Then hire a woodcarver to make a no-god,
giving special care to its base so it won’t tip over!

21-24 Have you not been paying attention?
Have you not been listening?
Haven’t you heard these stories all your life?
Don’t you understand the foundation of all things?
God sits high above the round ball of earth.
The people look like mere ants.
He stretches out the skies like a canvas—
yes, like a tent canvas to live under.
He ignores what all the princes say and do.
The rulers of the earth count for nothing.
Princes and rulers don’t amount to much.
Like seeds barely rooted, just sprouted,
They shrivel when God blows on them.
Like flecks of chaff, they’re gone with the wind.

25-26 “So—who is like me?
Who holds a candle to me?” says The Holy.
Look at the night skies:
Who do you think made all this?
Who marches this army of stars out each night,
counts them off, calls each by name
—so magnificent! so powerful!—
and never overlooks a single one?

27-31 Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
God has lost track of me.
He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.

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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)

40 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.2 “With gentle words, tender and kind,Assure Jerusalem, this chosen city from long ago, that her battles are over. The terror, the bloodshed, the horror of My punishing work is done.This place has paid for its guilt; iniquity is pardoned; its term of i...
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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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