Isaiah 40:18–20
18 xTo whom then will you liken God,
yor what likeness compare with him?
19 yAn idol! A craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and casts for it silver chains.
20 zHe who is too impoverished for an offering
chooses wood8 that will not rot;
he seeks out a skillful craftsman
to set up an idol that will not move.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — The New International Version (NIV)
18 With whom, then, will you compare God?
To what image will you liken him?
19 As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
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.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
18 To whom then will ye liken God?
Or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
19 The workman melteth a graven image,
And the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold,
And casteth silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot;
He seeketh unto him a cunning workman
To prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — New Living Translation (NLT)
18 To whom can you compare God?
What image can you find to resemble him?
19 Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold,
overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?
20 Or if people are too poor for that,
they might at least choose wood that won’t decay
and a skilled craftsman
to carve an image that won’t fall down!
Isaiah 40:18–20 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
18 To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
19 The workman molds an image,
The goldsmith overspreads it with gold,
And the silversmith casts silver chains.
20 Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks for himself a skillful workman
To prepare a carved image that will not totter.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — New Century Version (NCV)
18 Can you compare God to anything?
Can you compare him to an image of anything?
19 An idol is formed by a craftsman,
and a goldsmith covers it with gold
and makes silver chains for it.
20 A poor person cannot buy those expensive statues,
so he finds a tree that will not rot.
Then he finds a skilled craftsman
to make it into an idol that will not fall over.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — American Standard Version (ASV)
18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? 19 The image, a workman hath cast it, and the goldsmith overlayeth it with gold, and casteth for it silver chains. 20 He that is too impoverished for such an oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilful workman to set up a graven image, that shall not be moved.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
18 To whom then will ye liken •God? and what likeness will ye compare unto him? 19 The workman casteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains for it. 20 He that is impoverished, so that he hath no offering, chooseth a tree that doth not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilled workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
18 To whom, then, can you compare God?
To what statue can you compare him?
19 Craftsmen make idols.
Goldsmiths cover them with gold.
Silversmiths make silver chains for them.
20 The poorest people choose wood that will not rot
and search out skillful craftsmen
to set up idols that will not fall over.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
18 Who will you compare God with?
What likeness will you compare Him to?
19 To an idol?—something that a smelter casts,
and a metalworker plates with gold
and makes silver welds for it?
20 To one who shapes a pedestal,
choosing wood that does not rot?
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not fall over.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
18 To whom then will you liken God,
or what likeness compare with him?
19 An idol? —A workman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold,
and casts for it silver chains.
20 As a gift one chooses mulberry wood
—wood that will not rot—
then seeks out a skilled artisan
to set up an image that will not topple.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
18 And to whom will you liken God?
And to what likeness will you compare him?
19 A craftsman pours out the idol,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold,
and he smelts chains of silver.
20 The one who is too impoverished for a gift chooses wood that will not rot;
he seeks a skillful artisan for himself to set up an image that will not be knocked over.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
18 So who will you compare God to?
Is there any other god like him?
19 Will you compare him to a statue of a god?
Any skilled worker can make a statue.
Then another worker covers it with gold
and makes silver chains for it.
20 But someone who is too poor to bring that kind of offering
will choose some wood that won’t rot.
Then he looks for a skilled worker.
He pays the worker to make a statue of a god that won’t fall over.
Isaiah 40:18–20 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
18 To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
19 As for the idol, a craftsman casts it,
A goldsmith plates it with gold,
And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.
20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering
Selects a tree that does not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To prepare an idol that will not totter.