Isaiah 55
The LORD invites everyone who thirsts to come to the waters and buy wine and milk without money and without price. He will make an everlasting covenant with His people -- the sure mercies of David. His thoughts are higher than man's thoughts, and His word shall not return to Him void but shall accomplish what He pleases.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. | Come, everyone who is thirsty — come to the waters! Even He who has no money — come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. |
| 2 | Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. | Why do You spend money for what is not bread, and Your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me and eat what is good. Let Your soul delight in rich food. |
| 3 | Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. | Turn your ear and come to Me; listen, that your soul may live! I will make an everlasting covenant with you — the faithful mercies shown to David. |
| 4 | Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. | I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. |
| 5 | Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. | You shall call a nation You do not know, and a nation that did not know You shall run to You — because of the LORD Your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified You. |
| 6 | Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: | Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. |
| 7 | Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. | Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man His thoughts. Let Him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on Him — to our God, for He will freely pardon. |
| 8 | For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. | "For My thoughts are not Your thoughts, and Your ways are not My ways," declares the LORD. |
| 9 | For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. | For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than Your ways and My thoughts than Your thoughts. |
| 10 | For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: | For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout — giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater — |
| 11 | So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. | so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth. It shall not return to Me empty; it shall accomplish what I desire and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. |
| 12 | For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. | For You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills shall break out into singing before You, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. |
| 13 | Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. | Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle. This shall be a memorial to the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be removed. |