Isaiah 40 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Isaiah 40 (WEBP)

[1] “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 the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.
[4] Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.
[5] Yahweh’s glory shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”
[6] The voice of one saying, “Cry out!” One said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field.
[7] The grass withers, the flower fades, because Yahweh’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are like grass.
[8] The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”
[9] You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength! Lift it up! Don’t be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”
[10] Behold, the Lord Yahweh will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
[11] He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.
[12] Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
[13] Who has directed Yahweh’s Spirit, or has taught him as his counselor?
[14] Who did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
[15] Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.
[16] Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.
[17] All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.
[18] To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?
[19] A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.
[20] He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up a carved image for him that will not be moved.
[21] Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from the foundations of the earth?
[22] It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in,
[23] who brings princes to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.
[24] They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.
[25] “To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
[26] Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. By the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, not one is lacking.
[27] Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God”?
[28] Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
[29] He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
[30] Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;
[31] but those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Isaiah 40 (KJVS)

[1] Comfort () ye, comfort () ye my people , saith () your God .
[2] Speak () ye comfortably to Jerusalem , and cry () unto her, that her warfare is accomplished (), that her iniquity is pardoned (): for she hath received () of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins .
[3] The voice of him that crieth () in the wilderness , Prepare () ye the way of the LORD , make straight () in the desert a highway for our God .
[4] Every valley shall be exalted (), and every mountain and hill shall be made low (): and the crooked shall be made straight , and the rough places plain :
[5] And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed (), and all flesh shall see () [it] together : for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken () [it].
[6] The voice said (), Cry (). And he said (), What shall I cry ()? All flesh [is] grass , and all the goodliness thereof [is] as the flower of the field :
[7] The grass withereth (), the flower fadeth (): because the spirit of the LORD bloweth () upon it: surely the people [is] grass .
[8] The grass withereth (), the flower fadeth (): but the word of our God shall stand () for ever .
[9] O Zion , that bringest good tidings (), get thee up () into the high mountain ; O Jerusalem , that bringest good tidings (), lift up () thy voice with strength ; lift [it] up (), be not afraid (); say () unto the cities of Judah , Behold your God !
[10] Behold, the Lord GOD will come () with strong [hand], and his arm shall rule () for him: behold, his reward [is] with him, and his work before him.
[11] He shall feed () his flock like a shepherd (): he shall gather () the lambs with his arm , and carry () [them] in his bosom , [and] shall gently lead () those that are with young ().
[12] Who hath measured () the waters in the hollow of his hand , and meted out () heaven with the span , and comprehended () the dust of the earth in a measure , and weighed () the mountains in scales , and the hills in a balance ?
[13] Who hath directed () the Spirit of the LORD , or [being] his counsellor hath taught () him?
[14] With whom took he counsel (), and [who] instructed () him, and taught () him in the path of judgment , and taught () him knowledge , and shewed () to him the way of understanding ?
[15] Behold, the nations [are] as a drop of a bucket , and are counted () as the small dust of the balance : behold, he taketh up () the isles as a very little thing .
[16] And Lebanon [is] not sufficient to burn (), nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering .
[17] All nations before him [are] as nothing; and they are counted () to him less than nothing , and vanity .
[18] To whom then will ye liken () God ? or what likeness will ye compare () unto him?
[19] The workman melteth () a graven image , and the goldsmith () spreadeth () it over with gold , and casteth () silver chains .
[20] He that [is] so impoverished () (8676) () that he hath no oblation chooseth () a tree [that] will not rot (); he seeketh () unto him a cunning workman to prepare () a graven image , [that] shall not be moved ().
[21] Have ye not known ()? have ye not heard ()? hath it not been told () you from the beginning ? have ye not understood () from the foundations of the earth ?
[22] [It is] he that sitteth () upon the circle of the earth , and the inhabitants () thereof [are] as grasshoppers ; that stretcheth out () the heavens as a curtain , and spreadeth them out () as a tent to dwell in ():
[23] That bringeth () the princes () to nothing; he maketh () the judges () of the earth as vanity .
[24] Yea, they shall not be planted (); yea, they shall not be sown (): yea, their stock shall not take root () in the earth : and he shall also blow () upon them, and they shall wither (), and the whirlwind shall take () them away as stubble .
[25] To whom then will ye liken () me, or shall I be equal ()? saith () the Holy One .
[26] Lift up () your eyes on high , and behold () who hath created () these [things], that bringeth out () their host by number : he calleth () them all by names by the greatness of his might , for that [he is] strong in power ; not one faileth ().
[27] Why sayest () thou, O Jacob , and speakest (), O Israel , My way is hid () from the LORD , and my judgment is passed over () from my God ?
[28] Hast thou not known ()? hast thou not heard (), [that] the everlasting God , the LORD , the Creator () of the ends of the earth , fainteth () not, neither is weary ()? [there is] no searching of his understanding .
[29] He giveth () power to the faint ; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth () strength .
[30] Even the youths shall faint () and be weary (), and the young men shall utterly () fall ():
[31] But they that wait () upon the LORD shall renew () [their] strength ; they shall mount up () with wings as eagles ; they shall run (), and not be weary (); [and] they shall walk (), and not faint ().

Young’s Literal Translation

Isaiah 40 (YLT)

[1] 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- Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, Make straight in a desert a highway to our God.
[4] Every valley is raised up, And every mountain and hill become low, And the crooked place hath become a plain, And the entangled places a valley.
[5] And revealed hath been the honour of Jehovah, And seen it have all flesh together, For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken.
[6] A voice is saying, ‘Call,’ And he said, ‘What do I call?’ All flesh is grass, and all its goodliness is As a flower of the field:
[7] Withered hath grass, faded the flower, For the Spirit of Jehovah blew upon it, Surely the people is grass;
[8] Withered hath grass, faded the flower, But a word of our God riseth for ever.
[9] On a high mountain get thee up, O Zion, Proclaiming tidings, Lift up with power thy voice, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, Lift up, fear not, say to cities of Judah, ‘Lo, your God.’
[10] Lo, the Lord Jehovah with strength cometh, And His arm is ruling for Him, Lo, His hire is with Him, and His wage before Him.
[11] As a shepherd His flock He feedeth, With His arm He gathereth lambs, And in His bosom He carrieth them: Suckling ones He leadeth.
[12] Who hath measured in the hollow of his hand the waters? And the heavens by a span hath meted out, And comprehended in a measure the dust of the earth, And hath weighed in scales the mountains, And the hills in a balance?
[13] Who hath meted out the Spirit of Jehovah, And, being His counsellor, doth teach Him!
[14] With whom consulted He, That he causeth Him to understand? And teacheth Him in the path of judgment, And teacheth Him knowledge? And the way of understanding causeth Him to know?
[15] Lo, nations as a drop from a bucket, And as small dust of the balance, have been reckoned, Lo, isles as a small thing He taketh up.
[16] And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering.
[17] All the nations are as nothing before Him, Less than nothing and emptiness, They have been reckoned to Him.
[18] And unto whom do ye liken God, And what likeness do ye compare to Him?
[19] The graven image poured out hath a artisan, And a refiner with gold spreadeth it over, And chains of silver he is refining.
[20] He who is poor by heave-offerings, A tree not rotten doth choose, A skilful artisan he seeketh for it, To establish a graven image-not moved.
[21] Do ye not know-do ye not hear? Hath it not been declared from the first to you? Have ye not understood From the foundations of the earth?
[22] He who is sitting on the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are as grasshoppers, He who is stretching out as a thin thing the heavens, And spreadeth them as a tent to dwell in.
[23] He who is making princes become nothing, Judges of earth as emptiness hath made;
[24] Yea, they have not been planted, Yea, they have not been sown, Yea, not taking root in the earth is their stock, And also He hath blown upon them, and they wither, And a whirlwind as stubble taketh them away.
[25] And unto whom do ye liken Me, And am I equal? saith the Holy One.
[26] Lift up on high your eyes, And see-who hath prepared these? He who is bringing out by number their host, To all of them by name He calleth, By abundance of strength (And he is strong in power) not one is lacking.
[27] Why sayest thou, O Jacob? and speakest thou, O Israel? ‘My way hath been hid from Jehovah, And from my God my judgment passeth over.’
[28] Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard? The God of the age-Jehovah, Preparer of the ends of the earth, Is not wearied nor fatigued, There is no searching of His understanding.
[29] He is giving power to the weary, And to those not strong He increaseth might.
[30] Even youths are wearied and fatigued, And young men utterly stumble,
[31] But those expecting Jehovah pass to power, They raise up the pinion as eagles, They run and are not fatigued, They go on and do not faint!