1. "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.' "
9. Zion , you are bringing good news to your people. Go up on a high mountain and announce it. Jerusalem , you are bringing good news to them. Shout the message loudly. Shout it out loud. Don't be afraid. Say to the towns of Judah, "Your God is coming!"
10. The Lord and King is coming with power. His powerful arm will rule for him. He has set his people free. He is bringing them back as his reward. He has won the battle over their enemies.
11. He takes care of his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms. He carries them close to his heart. He gently leads those that have little ones.
12. Who has measured the oceans by using the palm of his hand? Who has used the width of his hand to mark off the sky? Who has measured out the dust of the earth in a basket? Who has weighed the mountains on scales? Who has weighed the hills in a balance?
13. Who can ever understand what is in the Lord's mind? Who can ever give him advice?