New Living Translation
Isaiah 55:7
7Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
Isaiah 55:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
- New International Version (NIV)Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
- English Standard Version (ESV)let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Context of Isaiah 55:7
5You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” 6Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. 8“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Read all of Isaiah 55Isaiah 55:7 word by word
יַעֲזֹ֤ב רָשָׁע֙ דַּרְכּ֔וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אָ֖וֶן מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֑יו וְיָשֹׁ֤ב אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וִֽירַחֲמֵ֔הוּ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ כִּֽי־יַרְבֶּ֥ה לִסְלֽוֹחַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Let the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- forsakeעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
- his wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- and the unrighteousאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
- manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- his thoughtsמַחֲשָׁבָהmachăshâbâh machăshebeth · plotH4284
- and let him returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and he will have mercyרָחַםrâcham · to have compassionH7355
- upon him; and to our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- for he will abundantlyרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- pardonסָלַחsâlach · to forgiveH5545
Cross-references for Isaiah 55:7
- Isaiah 1:16Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.
- 2 Chronicles 7:14Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
- Proverbs 28:13People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
- Jeremiah 3:3That’s why even the spring rains have failed. For you are a brazen prostitute and completely shameless.
- Jeremiah 8:4“Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back?
- Ezekiel 3:18If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
- Ezekiel 18:21But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.
- Ezekiel 33:11As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?
- Hosea 14:1Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down.
- Jonah 3:10When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.
- Matthew 9:13Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
- Luke 15:10In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
- Acts 3:19Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.
- Acts 26:20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,
- James 4:8Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
Commentaries on Isaiah 55:7
- 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. 7Let the wicked man forsake his way and … return to the LORD: True conversion means changing how we live to follow God's rules (see Isaiah 1:16–17; 30:15; 59:20). have compassion: God's compassion reaches those in need, wherever they are. He will freely pardon: Forgiveness of sin is key to the good news of redemption (see Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; see also Psalms 32:1; 86:5; 99:8; 103:2–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. unrighteous--Hebrew, "man of iniquity"; true of all men. The "wicked" sins more openly in "his way"; the "unrighteous" refers to the more subtle workings of sin in the "thoughts." All are guilty in the latter respect, thought many fancy themselves safe, because not openly "wicked in ways" (Psa 94:11). The parallelism is that of gradation. The progress of the penitent is to be from negative reformation, "forsaking his way," and a farther step, "his…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 55:7
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
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Commentaries