Isaiah 41 HCSB NLT Parallel

◄ Isaiah 41 ►

HCSB Parallel NLT [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]

Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1Be silent before Me, islands! And let peoples renew their strength. Let them approach, then let them testify; let us come together for the trial.

1“Listen in silence before me, you lands beyond the sea. Bring your strongest arguments. Come now and speak. The court is ready for your case.

2Who has stirred him up from the east? He calls righteousness to his feet. The LORD hands nations over to him, and he subdues kings. He makes them like dust with his sword, like wind-driven stubble with his bow.

2“Who has stirred up this king from the east, rightly calling him to God’s service? Who gives this man victory over many nations and permits him to trample their kings underfoot? With his sword, he reduces armies to dust. With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind.

3He pursues them, going on safely, hardly touching the path with his feet.

3He chases them away and goes on safely, though he is walking over unfamiliar ground.

4Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, am the first, and with the last--I am He."

4Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time? It is I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”

5The islands see and are afraid, the whole earth trembles. They approach and arrive.

5The lands beyond the sea watch in fear. Remote lands tremble and mobilize for war.

6Each one helps the other, and says to another, "Take courage!"

6The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, “Be strong!”

7The craftsman encourages the metalworker; the one who flattens with the hammer supports the one who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It is good." He fastens it with nails so that it will not fall over.

7The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.” Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.

8But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, My friend--

8“But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend,

9I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said to you: You are My servant; I have chosen you and not rejected you.

9I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.

10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

11Be sure that all who are enraged against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will become as nothing and will perish.

11“See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated. Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing.

12You will look for those who contend with you, but you will not find them. Those who war against you will become absolutely nothing.

12You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing.

13For I, Yahweh your God, hold your right hand and say to you: Do not fear, I will help you.

13For I hold you by your right hand— I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

14Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel: I will help you-- this is the LORD's declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

14Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.’

15See, I will make you into a sharp threshing board, new, with many teeth. You will thresh mountains and pulverize them and make hills into chaff.

15You will be a new threshing instrument with many sharp teeth. You will tear your enemies apart, making chaff of mountains.

16You will winnow them and a wind will carry them away, a gale will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the LORD; you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.

16You will toss them into the air, and the wind will blow them all away; a whirlwind will scatter them. Then you will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, Yahweh, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

17“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.

18I will open rivers on the barren heights, and springs in the middle of the plains. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and dry land into springs of water.

18I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.

19I will plant cedars in the desert, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees. I will put juniper trees in the desert, elms and cypress trees together,

19I will plant trees in the barren desert— cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.

20so that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it."

20I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means— that it is the LORD who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.

21Submit your case," says the LORD." Present your arguments," says Jacob's King."

21“Present the case for your idols,” says the LORD. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel.

22Let them come and tell us what will happen. Tell us the past events, so that we may reflect on them and know the outcome, or tell us the future.

22“Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen.

23Tell us the coming events, then we will know that you are gods. Indeed, do something good or bad, then we will be in awe and perceive.

23Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us.

24Look, you are nothing and your work is worthless. Anyone who chooses you is detestable."

24But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves.

25I have raised up one from the north, and he has come, one from the east who invokes My name. He will march over rulers as if they were mud, like a potter who treads the clay.

25“But I have stirred up a leader who will approach from the north. From the east he will call on my name. I will give him victory over kings and princes. He will trample them as a potter treads on clay.

26Who told about this from the beginning, so that we might know, and from times past, so that we might say: He is right? No one announced it, no one told it, no one heard your words.

26“Who told you from the beginning that this would happen? Who predicted this, making you admit that he was right? No one said a word!

27I was the first to say to Zion: Look! Here they are! And I gave a herald of good news to Jerusalem.

27I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look! Help is on the way!’ I will send Jerusalem a messenger with good news.

28When I look, there is no one; there is no counselor among them; when I ask them, they have nothing to say.

28Not one of your idols told you this. Not one gave any answer when I asked.

29Look, all of them are a delusion; their works are nonexistent; their images are wind and emptiness."

29See, they are all foolish, worthless things. All your idols are as empty as the wind.

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