| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, A burden to the weary beast. | 1Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. |
| 2They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity. | 2The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity. |
| 3“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb: | 3“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth. |
| 4Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you. | 4Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you. |
| 5“To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike? | 5To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike? |
| 6They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. | 6They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. |
| 7They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble. | 7They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles. |
| 8“Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. | 8Remember this and be brave; take it to heart, you transgressors! |
| 9Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, | 9Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. |
| 10Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ | 10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’ |
| 11Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it. | 11I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it. |
| 12“Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, Who are far from righteousness: | 12Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far removed from righteousness: |
| 13I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, For Israel My glory. | 13I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor. |
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