Isaiah 55
1 “Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Come, everyone of you who's thirsty, come and drink the water! You who don't have money, come—you can buy and eat! Come and buy wine and milk—you don't need money; there's no cost!
2 Why do you weigh out silver for what is not bread, and why do you labor for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness.
Why are you spending money on what isn't food, and why work for something that doesn't satisfy you? Listen carefully to me: eat what is good, and you'll enjoy the very best food.
3 Turn your ears and come to me! Listen, that you may live! I will make an everlasting covenant with you—my reliable, faithful love that I promised to David.
Come here, and pay attention, so you can truly live. I'm going to make an agreement with you that will last forever, based on the trustworthy love I showed to David.
4 Look, I have placed him as a witness to the nations, as a leader and commander to the peoples.
See how I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for them.
5 Look, you will call to a nation that you did not know; and a nation that did not know you will run to you because of Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.”
You will call nations you don't even know, and nations who don't know you will come running to you. For the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, I made you glorious.
6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call on him while he is nearby.
Look for the Lord while you can still find him; call out to him while he's nearby.
7 Let the wicked leave his path, and the man of sin his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will pity him, and to our God, who will abundantly forgive him.
Wicked people should change their ways and get rid of even the thought of doing something wrong. They should turn to the Lord so he can be merciful to them. Come back to our God, because he's generous with his forgiveness.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—this is Yahweh's declaration—
For your thoughts are not my 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.
In the same way the heavens are higher than the earth, my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there unless they saturate the earth and make it produce and sprout and give seed to the farmer who sows and bread to the eater,
It's like the rain and snow that fall from heaven. They don't go back there until they've watered the earth, making plants grow and flower, providing seeds for the sower and food to eat.
11 so also my word will be that goes from my mouth—it will not return to me empty, but it will achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
In the same way the words I say don't come back to me unfulfilled, they accomplish what I want—they successfully achieve my purpose.
12 For you will go out in joy and be led along peacefully; the mountains and the hills will break out in joyful shouts before you, and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.
You will live happily, taught the ways of peace. Mountains and hills will celebrate, singing beside you; and all the trees will clap their hands!
13 Instead of the thornbushes, the cypress will grow; and instead of the brier, the myrtle tree will grow, and it will be for Yahweh, for his name, as an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”
Cypress trees will grow instead of thorn bushes; myrtle trees will grow instead of brambles. This is to confirm the Lord's reputation—an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.
