God Comforts His People

40 “Comfort my people,” says your God.

“Comfort them.

2 Speak tenderly to the people of Jerusalem.

Announce to them

that their hard service has been completed.

Tell them that their sin has been paid for.

Tell them I have punished them enough

for all of their sins.”

3 A messenger is calling out,

“In the desert prepare

the way for the Lord.

Make a straight road through it

for our God.

4 Every valley will be filled in.

Every mountain and hill will be made level.

The rough ground will be smoothed out.

The rocky places will be made flat.

5 Then the glory of the Lord will appear.

And everyone will see it.

The Lord has spoken.”

6 Another messenger says, “Cry out.”

And I said, “What should I cry?”

“Cry out, ‘All people are like grass.

They don’t last any longer than flowers in the field.

7 The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground.

That happens when the Lord makes his wind blow on them.

So people are just like grass.

8 The grass dries up. The flowers fall to the ground.

But what our God says will stand forever.’ ”