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The Invitation to the Waters

55 Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good,
    and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
    Listen, so that your soul may live,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
    even the sure mercies of David.
See, I have given him as a witness to the people,
    a leader and commander to the people.
Surely you shall call a nation that you do not know,
    and nations that did not know you shall run to you
because of the Lord your God,
    even the Holy One of Israel;
    for He has glorified you.

Seek the Lord while He may be found,
    call you upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him,
    and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways My ways,
    says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are My ways higher than your ways,
    and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down,
    and the snow from heaven,
and do not return there
    but water the earth
and make it bring forth and bud
    that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
    it shall not return to Me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please,
    and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
12 For you shall go out with joy,
    and be led out with peace;
the mountains and the hills
    shall break forth into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field
    shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree,
    and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
    for an everlasting sign
    that shall not be cut off.

Invitation to the Thirsty

55 “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 witness(N) 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.(AA)

“For my thoughts(AB) are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”(AC)
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,(AD)
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.(AE)
10 As the rain(AF) and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,(AG)
    so that it yields seed(AH) for the sower and bread for the eater,(AI)
11 so is my word(AJ) that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,(AK)
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose(AL) for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy(AM)
    and be led forth in peace;(AN)
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song(AO) before you,
and all the trees(AP) of the field
    will clap their hands.(AQ)
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers(AR) the myrtle(AS) will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,(AT)
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”