Isaiah 40
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
SVL — Swedish Contemporary Bible (SVL)
Verse 1
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
says your God.
— not in SVL
Verse 2
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that 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.
and proclaim to her
that 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.
— not in SVL
Verse 3
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord[a];
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.[b]
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord[a];
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.[b]
— not in SVL
Verse 4
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
— not in SVL
Verse 5
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
— not in SVL
Verse 6
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
— not in SVL
Verse 7
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
— not in SVL
Verse 8
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
but the word of our God endures forever.”
— not in SVL
Verse 9
You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c]
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c]
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
— not in SVL
Verse 10
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
— not in SVL
Verse 11
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
— not in SVL
Verse 12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
— not in SVL
Verse 13
— not in SVL
Verse 14
Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,
or showed him the path of understanding?
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,
or showed him the path of understanding?
— not in SVL
Verse 15
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
— not in SVL
Verse 16
Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
— not in SVL
Verse 17
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
— not in SVL
Verse 18
With whom, then, will you compare God?
To what image will you liken him?
To what image will you liken him?
— not in SVL
Verse 19
As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
— not in SVL
Verse 20
A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol that will not topple.
selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol that will not topple.
— not in SVL
Verse 21
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
— not in SVL
Verse 22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
— not in SVL
Verse 23
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
— not in SVL
Verse 24
No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
— not in SVL
Verse 25
“To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
— not in SVL
Verse 26
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
— not in SVL
Verse 27
Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
— not in SVL
Verse 28
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
— not in SVL
Verse 29
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
and increases the power of the weak.
— not in SVL
Verse 30
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
and young men stumble and fall;
— not in SVL
Verse 31
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
— not in SVL