New Living Translation | NET Bible |
1“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! | 1"Hey, all who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come! Buy and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk without money and without cost! |
2Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. | 2Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food! |
3“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. | 3Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David. |
4See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. | 4Look, I made him a witness to nations, a ruler and commander of nations." |
5You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” | 5Look, you will summon nations you did not previously know; nations that did not previously know you will run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he bestows honor on you. |
6Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. | 6Seek the LORD while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby! |
7Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. | 7The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the LORD, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. |
8“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. | 8"Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, |
9For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. | 9for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans. |
10“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. | 10The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat. |
11It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. | 11In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend." |
12You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! | 12Indeed you will go out with joy; you will be led along in peace; the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you, and all the trees in the field will clap their hands. |
13Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.” | 13Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes, firs will grow in place of nettles; they will be a monument to the LORD, a permanent reminder that will remain. |
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