Isaiah 55

Invitation to the Thirsty

“Come, all you who are thirsty,^a

come to the waters;^b

and you who have no money,

come, buy^c and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk^d

without money and without cost.^e

Why spend money on what is not bread,

and your labor on what does not satisfy?^f

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,^g

and you will delight in the richest^h of fare.

Give ear and come to me;

listen,ⁱ that you may live.^j

I will make an everlasting covenant^k with you,

my faithful love^l promised to David.^m

See, I have made him a witnessⁿ to the peoples,

a ruler and commander^o of the peoples.

Surely you will summon nations^p you know not,

and nations you do not know will come running to you,^q

because of the Lord your God,

the Holy One^r of Israel,

for he has endowed you with splendor.”^s

Seek^t the Lord while he may be found;^u

call^v on him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake^w their ways

and the unrighteous their thoughts.^x

Let them turn^y to the Lord, and he will have mercy^z on them,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.^a

“For my thoughts^b are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”^c

declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,^d

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.^e

As the rain^f and the snow

come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,^g

so that it yields seed^h for the sower and bread for the eater,ⁱ

so is my word^j that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,^k

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose^l for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy^m

and be led forth in peace;ⁿ

the mountains and hills

will burst into song^o before you,

and all the trees^p of the field

will clap their hands.^q

Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,

and instead of briers^r the myrtle^s will grow.

This will be for the Lord’s renown,^t

for an everlasting sign,

that will endure forever.”