New English Translation
Isaiah 55:8
8“Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,
Isaiah 55:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
Context of Isaiah 55:8
6Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby! 7The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, 9for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans. 10The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
Read all of Isaiah 55Isaiah 55:8 word by word
כִּ֣י לֹ֤א מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי֙ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם דְּרָכָ֑י נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 55:8
- 2 Samuel 7:19And you didn’t stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. Is this your usual way of dealing with men, O Lord God?
- Psalms 25:10The Lord always proves faithful and reliable to those who follow the demands of his covenant.
- Psalms 40:5O Lord, my God, you have accomplished many things; you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us. No one can thwart you! I want to declare them and talk about them, but they are too numerous to recount!
- Psalms 92:5How great are your works, O Lord! Your plans are very intricate!
- Proverbs 21:8The way of the guilty person is devious, but as for the pure, his way is upright.
- Proverbs 25:3As the heaven is high and the earth is deep so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
- Jeremiah 3:1“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife, he may not take her back again. Doing that would utterly defile the land. But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. So what makes you think you can return to me?” says the Lord.
- Ezekiel 18:29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?
- Daniel 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live in pride.
- Hosea 14:9Who is wise? Let him discern these things! Who is discerning? Let him understand them! For the ways of the Lord are right; the godly walk in them, but in them the rebellious stumble.
Commentaries on Isaiah 55:8
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 Here is a gracious offer of pardon, and peace, and of all happiness. It shall not be in vain to seek God, now his word is calling to us, and his Spirit is striving with us. But there is a day coming when he will not be found. There may come such a time in this life; it is certain that at death and judgment the door will be shut. There must be not only a change of the way, but a change of the mind. We must alter our judgments about persons and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9My thoughts are not your thoughts: God's plans are wonderful (Psalm 92:5; compare Psalm 94:11). God's creations, including humans, cannot fully understand the Creator's thoughts. However, his messengers reveal insights and knowledge about some of his actions.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. For--referring to Is 55:7. You need not doubt His willingness "abundantly to pardon" (compare Is 55:12); for, though "the wicked" man's "ways," and "the unrighteous man's thoughts," are so aggravated as to seem unpardonable, God's "thoughts" and "ways" in pardoning are not regulated by the proportion of the former, as man's would be towards his fellow man who offended him; compare the "for" (Psa 25:11; Ro 5:19).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 55:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 55
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries