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1. Your God says, "Comfort, comfort my people.
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1. Comfort H5162 ye, comfort H5162 ye my people H5971 , saith H559 your God H430 .
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2. Speak kindly to Jerusalem and tell her, 'Your time of service is finished. You have paid the price for your sins.' Lord, you punished Jerusalem twice for every sin she committed."
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2. Speak H1696 ye comfortably H5921 H3820 to Jerusalem H3389 , and cry H7121 unto H413 her, that H3588 her warfare H6635 is accomplished H4390 , that H3588 her iniquity H5771 is pardoned H7521 : for H3588 she hath received H3947 of the LORD H3068 's hand H4480 H3027 double H3718 for all H3605 her sins H2403 .
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3. Listen, there is someone shouting: "Prepare a way in the desert for the Lord. Make a straight road there for our God.
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3. The voice H6963 of him that crieth H7121 in the wilderness H4057 , Prepare H6437 ye the way H1870 of the LORD H3068 , make straight H3474 in the desert H6160 a highway H4546 for our God H430 .
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4. Every valley must be filled. Every mountain and hill should be made flat. The crooked roads should be made straight, and the rough ground made smooth.
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4. Every H3605 valley H1516 shall be exalted H5375 , and every H3605 mountain H2022 and hill H1389 shall be made low H8213 : and the crooked H6121 shall be made H1961 straight H4334 , and the rough places H7406 plain H1237 :
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5. Then the Glory of the Lord will be shown to everyone. Together, all people will see it. Yes, this is what the Lord himself said!"
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5. And the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 shall be revealed H1540 , and all H3605 flesh H1320 shall see H7200 it together H3162 : for H3588 the mouth H6310 of the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 it .
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6. A voice said, "Speak!" So the man said, "What should I say?" The voice said, "People are like grass. Any glory they enjoy is like a wildflower.
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6. The voice H6963 said H559 , Cry H7121 . And he said H559 , What H4100 shall I cry H7121 ? All H3605 flesh H1320 is grass H2682 , and all H3605 the goodliness H2617 thereof is as the flower H6731 of the field H7704 :
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7. When a wind from the Lord blows on them, the grass dies and the flower falls. Yes, all people are like grass.
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7. The grass H2682 withereth H3001 , the flower H6731 fadeth H5034 : because H3588 the spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 bloweth H5380 upon it: surely H403 the people H5971 is grass H2682 .
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8. Grass dies and flowers fall, but the word of our God lasts forever."
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8. The grass H2682 withereth H3001 , the flower H6731 fadeth H5034 : but the word H1697 of our God H430 shall stand H6965 forever H5769 .
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9. Zion, you have good news to tell. Go up on a high mountain and shout the good news. Jerusalem, you have good news to tell. Don't be afraid; speak loudly. Tell this news to all the cities of Judah: "Look, here is your God!"
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9. O Zion H6726 , that bringest good tidings H1319 , get thee up H5927 into H5921 the high H1364 mountain H2022 ; O Jerusalem H3389 , that bringest good tidings H1319 , lift up H7311 thy voice H6963 with strength H3581 ; lift it up H7311 , be not afraid H3372 H408 ; say H559 unto the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 , Behold H2009 your God H430 !
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10. The Lord God is coming with power. He will use his power to rule all the people. He will bring rewards for his people. He will have their payment with him.
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10. Behold H2009 , the Lord H136 GOD H3069 will come H935 with strong H2389 hand , and his arm H2220 shall rule H4910 for him: behold H2009 , his reward H7939 is with H854 him , and his work H6468 before H6440 him.
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11. Like a good shepherd, the Lord takes care of his people. He gathers them like little lambs in his arms. He holds them close, while their mothers walk beside him.
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11. He shall feed H7462 his flock H5739 like a shepherd H7462 : he shall gather H6908 the lambs H2922 with his arm H2220 , and carry H5375 them in his bosom H2436 , and shall gently lead H5095 those that are with young H5763 .
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12. Who measured the oceans in the palm of his hand? Who used his hand to measure the sky? Who used a bowl to measure all the dust of the earth? Who used scales to measure the mountains and hills?
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12. Who H4310 hath measured H4058 the waters H4325 in the hollow of his hand H8168 , and meted out H8505 heaven H8064 with the span H2239 , and comprehended H3557 the dust H6083 of the earth H776 in a measure H7991 , and weighed H8254 the mountains H2022 in scales H6425 , and the hills H1389 in a balance H3976 ?
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13. Who could know the Lord's mind? Who could be his teacher or give him advice?
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13. Who H4310 hath directed H8505 H853 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 , or being his counselor H376 H6098 hath taught H3045 him?
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14. Did the Lord ask for anyone's help? Did anyone teach him to be fair? Did anyone teach him knowledge? Did anyone teach him to be wise?
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14. H853 With whom H4310 took he counsel H3289 , and who instructed H995 him , and taught H3925 him in the path H734 of judgment H4941 , and taught H3925 him knowledge H1847 , and showed H3045 to him the way H1870 of understanding H8394 ?
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15. Look, all the nations in the world are like one small drop in the bucket. If the Lord took all the faraway nations and put them on his scales, they would be like small pieces of dust.
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15. Behold H2005 , the nations H1471 are as a drop H4752 of a bucket H4480 H1805 , and are counted H2803 as the small dust H7834 of the balance H3976 : behold H2005 , he taketh up H5190 the isles H339 as a very little thing H1851 .
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16. All the trees in Lebanon are not enough to burn on the altar for the Lord. And all the animals in Lebanon are not enough to kill for a sacrifice.
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16. And Lebanon H3844 is not H369 sufficient H1767 to burn H1197 , nor H369 the beasts H2416 thereof sufficient H1767 for a burnt offering H5930 .
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17. Compared to God, all the nations of the world are nothing. Compared to him, they are worth nothing at all.
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17. All H3605 nations H1471 before H5048 him are as nothing H369 ; and they are counted H2803 to him less than nothing H4480 H657 , and vanity H8414 .
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18. Can you compare God to anything? Can you make a picture of God?
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18. To H413 whom H4310 then will ye liken H1819 God H410 ? or what H4100 likeness H1823 will ye compare H6186 unto him?
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19. No, but some people make statues from rock or wood, and they call them gods. One worker makes a statue. Then another worker covers it with gold and makes silver chains for it.
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19. The workman H2796 melteth H5258 a graven image H6459 , and the goldsmith H6884 spreadeth it over H7554 with gold H2091 , and casteth H6884 silver H3701 chains H7577 .
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20. For the base he chooses special wood, a kind of wood that will not rot. Then he finds a good wood worker, and the worker makes a "god" that will not fall over.
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20. He that is so impoverished H5533 that he hath no oblation H8641 chooseth H977 a tree H6086 that will not H3808 rot H7537 ; he seeketh H1245 unto him a cunning H2450 workman H2796 to prepare H3559 a graven image H6459 , that shall not H3808 be moved H4131 .
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21. Surely you know the truth, don't you? Surely you have heard. Surely someone told you long ago. Surely you understand who made the earth.
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21. Have ye not H3808 known H3045 ? have ye not H3808 heard H8085 ? hath it not H3808 been told H5046 you from the beginning H4480 H7218 ? have ye not H3808 understood H995 from the foundations H4480 H4146 of the earth H776 ?
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22. It is the Lord who sits above the circle of the earth. And compared to him, people are like grasshoppers. He rolled open the skies like a piece of cloth. He stretched out the skies like a tent to sit under.
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22. It is he that sitteth H3427 upon H5921 the circle H2329 of the earth H776 , and the inhabitants H3427 thereof are as grasshoppers H2284 ; that stretcheth out H5186 the heavens H8064 as a curtain H1852 , and spreadeth them out H4969 as a tent H168 to dwell in H3427 :
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23. He takes away the power of rulers. He makes the world's leaders completely worthless.
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23. That bringeth H5414 the princes H7336 to nothing H369 ; he maketh H6213 the judges H8199 of the earth H776 as vanity H8414 .
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24. They are like plants that are planted in the ground. But before they can send their roots into the ground, God blows on the "plants"; they become dead and dry, and the wind blows them away like straw.
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24. Yea H637 , they shall not H1077 be planted H5193 ; yea H637 , they shall not H1077 be sown H2232 : yea H637 , their stock H1503 shall not H1077 take root H8327 in the earth H776 : and he shall also H1571 blow H5398 upon them , and they shall wither H3001 , and the whirlwind H5591 shall take them away H5375 as stubble H7179 .
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25. The Holy One says, "Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me."
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25. To H413 whom H4310 then will ye liken H1819 me , or shall I be equal H7737 ? saith H559 the Holy One H6918 .
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26. Look up to the skies. Who created all those stars? Who created all those "armies" in the sky? Who knows every star by name? He is very strong and powerful, so not one of these stars is lost.
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26. Lift up H5375 your eyes H5869 on high H4791 , and behold H7200 who H4310 hath created H1254 these H428 things , that bringeth out H3318 their host H6635 by number H4557 : he calleth H7121 them all H3605 by names H8034 by the greatness H4480 H7230 of his might H202 , for that he is strong H533 in power H3581 ; not H3808 one H376 faileth H5737 .
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27. People of Jacob, this is true. Israel, you should believe it. So why do you say, "The Lord cannot see the way I live; he will not find me and punish me"?
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27. Why H4100 sayest H559 thou , O Jacob H3290 , and speakest H1696 , O Israel H3478 , My way H1870 is hid H5641 from the LORD H4480 H3068 , and my judgment H4941 is passed over H5674 from my God H4480 H430 ?
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28. Surely you know the truth. Surely you have heard. The Lord is the God who lives forever! He created all the faraway places on earth. He does not get tired and weary. You cannot learn all he knows.
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28. Hast thou not H3808 known H3045 ? hast thou not H3808 heard H8085 , that the everlasting H5769 God H430 , the LORD H3068 , the Creator H1254 of the ends H7098 of the earth H776 , fainteth H3286 not H3808 , neither H3808 is weary H3021 ? there is no H369 searching H2714 of his understanding H8394 .
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29. The Lord helps tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it.
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29. He giveth H5414 power H3581 to the faint H3287 ; and to them that have no H369 might H202 he increaseth H7235 strength H6109 .
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30. Young men get tired and need to rest. Even young boys stumble and fall.
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30. Even the youths H5288 shall faint H3286 and be weary H3021 , and the young men H970 shall utterly fall H3782 H3782 :
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31. But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again�like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired.
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31. But they that wait upon H6960 the LORD H3068 shall renew H2498 their strength H3581 ; they shall mount up H5927 with wings H83 as eagles H5404 ; they shall run H7323 , and not H3808 be weary H3021 ; and they shall walk H1980 , and not H3808 faint H3286 .
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