12Listen to me, my people, my chosen ones! I alone am God. I am the First; I am the Last. 13It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth; the palm of my right hand spread out the heavens above; I spoke and they came into being.
14Come, all of you, and listen. Among all your idols, which one has ever told you this: “The Lord loves Cyrus. He will use him to put an end to the empire of Babylonia. He will utterly rout the armies of the Chaldeans”? 15But I am saying it. I have called Cyrus; I have sent him on this errand, and I will prosper him.
16Come closer and listen. I have always told you plainly what would happen, so that you could clearly understand. And now the Lord God and his Spirit have sent me (with this message):
17The Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: I am the Lord your God, who punishes you for your own good and leads you along the paths that you should follow.
18Oh, that you had listened to my laws! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river, and great waves of righteousness. 19Then you would have become as numerous as the sands along the seashores of the world, too many to count, and there would have been no need for your destruction.
20Yet even now, be free from your captivity! Leave Babylon, singing as you go; shout to the ends of the earth that the Lord has redeemed his servants, the Jews. 21They were not thirsty when he led them through the deserts; he divided the rock, and water gushed out for them to drink. 22But there is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.
49Listen to me, all of you in far-off lands: The Lord called me before my birth. From within the womb he called me by my name. 2God will make my words of judgment sharp as swords. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand; I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.
3He said to me: “You are my servant, a prince of power[a] with God, and you shall bring me glory.”
4I replied, “But my work for them seems all in vain; I have spent my strength for them without response. Yet I leave it all with God for my reward.”
5“And now,” said the Lord—the Lord who formed me from my mother’s womb to serve him who commissioned me to restore to him his people Israel, who has given me the strength to perform this task and honored me for doing it!— 6“you shall do more than restore Israel to me. I will make you a Light to the nations of the world to bring my salvation to them too.”
7The Lord, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the One who is despised, rejected by mankind, and kept beneath the heel of the world’s rulers: “Kings shall stand at attention when you pass by; princes shall bow low because the Lord has chosen you; he, the faithful Lord, the Holy One of Israel, chooses you.”
8-9The Lord says, “Your request has come at a favorable time. I will keep you from harm and give you as a token and pledge to Israel, proof that I will reestablish the land of Israel and reassign it to its own people again. Through you I am saying to the prisoners of darkness, ‘Come out! I am giving you your freedom!’ They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on the grassy hills. 10They shall neither hunger nor thirst; the searing sun and scorching desert winds will not reach them anymore. For the Lord in his mercy will lead them beside the cool waters. 11And I will make my mountains into level paths for them; the highways shall be raised above the valleys. 12See, my people shall return from far away, from north and west and south.”
13Sing for joy, O heavens; shout, O earth. Break forth with song, O mountains, for the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion upon them in their sorrow.
14Yet they say, “My Lord deserted us; he has forgotten us.”
15“Never! Can a mother forget her little child and not have love for her own son? Yet even if that should be, I will not forget you. 16See, I have tattooed your name upon my palm, and ever before me is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. 17Soon your rebuilders shall come and chase away all those destroying you. 18Look and see, for the Lord has vowed that all your enemies shall come and be your slaves. They will be as jewels to display, as bridal ornaments.
19“Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land shall soon be crowded with your people, and your enemies who enslaved you shall be far away. 20The generations born in exile shall return and say, ‘We need more room! It’s crowded here!’ 21Then you will think to yourself, ‘Who has given me all these? For most of my children were killed, and the rest were carried away into exile, leaving me here alone. Who bore these? Who raised them for me?’”
22The Lord God says, “See, I will give a signal to the Gentiles, and they shall carry your little sons back to you in their arms, and your daughters on their shoulders. 23Kings and queens shall serve you; they shall care for all your needs. They shall bow to the earth before you and lick the dust from off your feet; then you shall know I am the Lord. Those who wait for me shall never be ashamed.”
24Who can snatch the prey from the hands of a mighty man? Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go? 25But the Lord says, “Even the captives of the most mighty and most terrible shall all be freed; for I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children. 26I will feed your enemies with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with rivers of their own blood. All the world shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.”
50The Lord asks, Did I sell you to my creditors? Is that why you aren’t here? Is your mother gone because I divorced her and sent her away? No, you went away as captives because of your sins. And your mother, too, was taken in payment for your sins. 2Was I too weak to save you? Is that why the house is silent and empty when I come home? Have I no longer power to deliver? No, that is not the reason! For I can rebuke the sea and make it dry! I can turn the rivers into deserts, covered with dying fish. 3I am the one who sends the darkness out across the skies.
4The Lord God has given me his words of wisdom so that I may know what I should say to all these weary ones. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will. 5The Lord God has spoken to me, and I have listened; I do not rebel nor turn away. 6I give my back to the whip, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard. I do not hide from shame—they spit in my face.
7Because the Lord God helps me, I will not be dismayed; therefore, I have set my face like flint to do his will, and I know that I will triumph. 8He who gives me justice is near. Who will dare to fight against me now? Where are my enemies? Let them appear! 9See, the Lord God is for me! Who shall declare me guilty? All my enemies shall be destroyed like old clothes eaten up by moths!
10Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his Servant? If such men walk in darkness, without one ray of light, let them trust the Lord, let them rely upon their God. 11But see here, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves from your own fires and not from God’s; you will live among sorrows.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 49:3 a prince of power, or “Israel.”
FAQs
Is there a free audio Bible app? ›
This app on your mobile device has the ability to read the Bible to you and give you access to the word of God. The app on your mobile phone is free to download and upgrades are provided that enhance your Bible Study experience.
Who reads the Daily Audio Bible? ›About Brian Hardin, the creator and voice of Daily Audio Bible.
How many hours is the Bible audiobook? ›This bible is about 86 hours long. It is split into 10 about 8 hour sections.
Is there an audio Bible study? ›Audio Bible studies and podcasts provide a handy solution. Check out the library of series and episodes right here at Groundwork. Each episode is a doable 30-minutes in length and digs deep into important scriptural questions and topics.
What is the best free audio Bible download? ›- Download: YouVersion Bible for Android | iOS (Free)
- Download: Olive Tree Bible App for Android | iOS (Free)
- Download: Holy Bible Multi Version for Android (Free)
- Download: Bible Gateway for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
The YouVersion Bible app is free and considered the best for iOS. It gives you access to an audible Bibles, prayer creation, 2,000+ versions of the Bible in over 1,300 bible translations, and more.
Who is the best audio Bible narrator? ›- Douay Rheims Bible download - Catholic Bible Download. ...
- Douay Rheims Bible - Catholic Audio Bible player. ...
- Audio Bible KJV Bible reader - Dan Wagner - Easy to Use. ...
- One Year Bible audio Player - One Year Bible reader by Dan Wagner.
- The Word of Promise Audio Bible—New King James Version, NKJV: Complete Bible. ...
- James Earl Jones Reads The Bible: King James Version. ...
- Listener's Audio Bible—New International Version, NIV: Complete Bible. ...
- The Case for Christ, Revised & Updated. ...
- Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table. ...
- The Unseen Realm.
- New International Version Bible, narrated by David Suchet. ...
- New Living Translation: The One Year Chronological Bible, narrated by Todd Busteed. ...
- King James Version: The New Testament, narrated by James Earl Jones. ...
- King James Version: The Holy Bible, narrated by David Cochran.
Is it OK to listen to audio Bible? Listening to the Holy Bible as an audiobook can be perfectly fine. In fact, the experience can be more immersive than a Bible reading because many audiobook apps have immersive narration.
What happens when you read the whole Bible? ›
You'll experience God's faithfulness.
Our God is faithful, from beginning to end of Scripture, and from our first day until our last. The Holy Spirit will use the Word of truth to tune us to kingdom-reality and keep us rooted in God's faithful provision and person.
At 113 hours and forty-three minutes, Fifty Lectures is the longest audiobook of all time. You don't have to do the math to tell how long that is—but if you did want to do the math, you'd know that listening to the book would take five full consecutive days.
What is the benefit of audio Bible? ›By listening to the words of the Bible rather than reading them off the page, you might be pleasantly surprised with what you gain. Spoken inflections can clarify confusing passages, changes in voices can break up long conversations, and phrases that never quite connect can finally resonate.
What is the easiest version of the Bible to listen to? ›Generally, the New International Version (NIV) and the English Standard Version (ESV) are considered the versions of the Bible that are easiest to understand. The ESV is also known for the accuracy of its translation.
Is The Voice Bible a good translation? ›The Voice is an excellent translation for reading the Bible by chapters. It's not the right choice for study purposes, because it's a thought by thought format. But when you want to read through an entire book, and you want to focus on getting the big picture, this version really helps you accomplish that goal.
Can I listen to audio Bible offline? ›As long as you have the latest version of the app, you can do this in one of two ways. You can set up auto downloads, which will allow your phone to download the next day's audio content automatically and keep it until you have listened to it.
Which version of the Bible is the best? ›- New International Version.
- English Standard Version.
- New Living Translation.
- King James Version.
- Christian Standard Bible.
On more than 500 million devices around the world, people are reading, listening to, watching, and sharing the Bible daily using the YouVersion Bible App—completely free. 2,500+ Bible versions, 1,750+ languages. Listen to audio Bibles. Thousands of Reading Plans & Devotionals in 65+ languages.
What is the best offline Bible app with audio? ›ESV Bible is one of the best offline Bible apps for Android and iOS devices. It is an intuitive application that offers free resources for readers. In addition, you can access interactive reading plans and audio streaming. As a reader, you get the complete ESV Global Study Bible.
Why isn t my Bible app reading to me? ›The most common reason the Bible App might not behave as you expect is that it loses its Internet connection. Before you try any of the procedures in this document, first make sure your device has a stable Internet connection.
What audio Bible is narrated by celebrities? ›
The Word of Promise App is an Audio Bible and Study Bible, dramatized by an all-star cast of actors, including Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Academy Award Winner Richard Dreyfuss as Moses, Emmy Award Winner Gary Sinise as David, SAG Award Winner Jason Alexander as Joseph, Academy Award Winner Marisa Tomei, Academy Award ...
Who reads the ESV audio Bible? ›In this audio recording of the full Bible, that story comes alive in a fresh way through the voice of author and pastor Ray Ortlund.
Is there a voice translation of the Bible? ›The Voice is an excellent translation for reading the Bible by chapters. It's not the right choice for study purposes, because it's a thought by thought format. But when you want to read through an entire book, and you want to focus on getting the big picture, this version really helps you accomplish that goal.
Which Bible commentary should I use? ›- The Geneva Study Bible, 1560 Facsimile. ...
- Matthew Henry's Commentary. ...
- Thru the Bible Commentary, J. ...
- Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. ...
- Calvin's Commentaries. ...
- Expositor's Bible Commentary Set. ...
- Treasury of David, Charles H. ...
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament.
The Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) is an English translation of the Bible compiled by the World Bible Translation Center. It was originally published as the English Version for the Deaf (EVD) by BakerBooks. God made the sky and earth.
How many listeners does daily audio Bible have? ›With over 1.5 million listens monthly, what started as a personal project with no global intentions has miraculously become one of the world wide web's biggest success stories.
Who was the strongest man Bible story? ›The biblical account states that Samson was a Nazirite, and that he was given immense strength to aid him against his enemies and allow him to perform superhuman feats, including slaying a lion with his bare hands and massacring an entire army of Philistines using only the jawbone of a donkey.
Who narrates the Bible in one year? ›Nicky Gumbel, pioneer of Alpha - a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith - and vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton in Kensington, London, aids listeners following the Bible in a one-year programme to understand the scriptures better.
Who is the main writer in the Bible? ›Old Testament: The Single Author Theory
That single author was believed to be Moses, the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and guided them across the Red Sea toward the Promised Land.
Living in sin is the opposite of loving God, for “the fear of the Lord is hatred of evil” (Prov. 8:13). Proverbs 28:9 says this truth in a different way: “If one turns away his ear from hearing [God's] law, even his prayer is an abomination.” If you find yourself treasuring sin and avoiding God's Word, repent!
How many days does it take to read the Bible? ›
The average reader can read the Bible through in about 65 to 75 hours.
How many times should you read the Bible? ›The more Christians read or listen to the Scriptures at least four times a week, the more bold they will be in sharing their faith and growing in their faith. Their lives will begin to have a profound impact on those immediately around them. There will also be fewer times of stagnation in their spiritual growth.
Can you read the Bible in 5 days? ›With the Five Day Bible Reading Schedule you can do it! Many many Christians the world over have used it to successfully “stay on course” with a Bible reading program through an entire year. The Five Day Bible Reading Schedule's secret is that you only have to read five times a week, not every day.
What percent of people have read the whole Bible? ›Many unfamiliar with biblical text
One in five Americans, Lifeway Research found, has read through the Bible at least once. That includes 11 percent who've read the entire Bible once, and 9 percent who've read it through multiple times.
Audible Plus is a monthly membership which includes access to unlimited streaming and listening from the Audible Plus Catalog. Look for the "included" tag and hit "play now" to instantly stream from the app. You can also save these titles to your Library or download to listen off-line.
What is the average age of audiobook listeners? ›| Age group | Share of Americans listening to audiobooks |
|---|---|
| 18-29 years | 30% |
| 30-49 years | 27% |
| 50-64 years | 22% |
| 65+ years | 12% |
We have found that it generally takes a total of around 6.2 hours for a Producer to complete one hour of an Audiobook. Here's how you get there: It takes about two hours to narrate what will become one finished hour.
Why is audio better than reading? ›Research has demonstrated that people who listen to audiobooks are able to recall more information than those who read from a traditional book. Additionally, studies have found that people who listen to audiobooks retain information better over time compared to those who read books in the traditional way.
Is audio better than reading? ›There is little to no difference in comprehension between the two types of consuming literature. Even though the information is processed differently by our brain, recent audiobooks vs reading research from 2021 showed that the overall difference between reading and listening in terms of comprehension was negligible.
How many minutes is the audio Bible? ›The 80-hour recording is available on MP3 CD and as an audio digital download. Ebooks of each section of the Bible - enhanced with Suchet's audio narration - are also available.
What is the easiest Bible to read and understand for adults? ›
The New International Reader's Version (NIrV)
The NIrV is based on a popular version of the Bible called the NIV. It uses easier words than the NIV. It also explains harder words. This makes it a good beginner Bible for adults who find reading hard.
The New American Standard Bible is a literal translation from the original texts, well suited to study because of its accurate rendering of the source texts. It follows the style of the King James Version but uses modern English for words that have fallen out of use or changed their meanings.
Is the King James Bible the most accurate? ›Published in 1611, the King James Bible spread quickly throughout Europe. Because of the wealth of resources devoted to the project, it was the most faithful and scholarly translation to date—not to mention the most accessible.
What is the most controversial translation of the Bible? ›The English King James Version or "Authorized Version", published in 1611, has been one of the most debated English versions.
What is the most accurate translation of the Holy Scriptures? ›BeDuhn said that the New World Translation was "not bias free", adding that whilst the general public and various biblical scholars might assume that the differences in the New World Translation are the result of religious bias, he considered it to be "the most accurate of the translations compared", and a "remarkably ...
What is the most spoken language in the Bible? ›Language of the Hebrew Bible
The texts were mainly written in Biblical Hebrew (sometimes called Classical Hebrew), with some portions (notably in Daniel and Ezra) in Biblical Aramaic.
Bible Gateway's Bible Audio App is FREE and easy to use. And for additional translations and offline access, simply upgrade to a Bible Audio Gold subscription.
How do you read Bible verses out loud? ›To read aloud from the bible with conviction you have to read the words as though you had written them yourself. You need to say them as though they come from inside you — as though you were the first person to think of these particular words in this order.
Is the Bible verse and prayer app free? ›The Bible Verse and Prayer app has different subscription plans. Subscription payments are charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period or trial.
What is the price of Bible audio player? ›Black Envoy 2 Ellite Solar Audio Bible Player at Rs 2700 in Delhi | ID: 20646922197.
Does Bible Gateway cost money? ›
The Bible Gateway App is the OFFICIAL and FREE mobile Bible reading and learning experience from BibleGateway.com.
What are the benefits of audio Bible? ›By listening to the words of the Bible rather than reading them off the page, you might be pleasantly surprised with what you gain. Spoken inflections can clarify confusing passages, changes in voices can break up long conversations, and phrases that never quite connect can finally resonate.
How to listen to God when he speaks? ›- Position yourself close to God. ...
- Find a place of regular service to God. ...
- Listen for God's voice. ...
- When God calls, respond eagerly. ...
- When God speaks, obey Him. ...
- Read and study the Word of God.
- Come to God with your request for guidance. ...
- Wait in silence for God to speak for 10-12 minutes. ...
- Jot down any Scripture, songs, impressions, or pictures God gives you. ...
- Share how God spoke to you with your prayer partners and follow God's will.
Reading the Bible on a regular and consistent basis has several benefits. First, the Bible shows us God's character and provides us God's revelation of himself to his people. In each section of the Bible, we see God's holy, unchanging, faithful, gracious and loving character.
What language did Jesus speak? ›Aramaic is best known as the language Jesus spoke. It is a Semitic language originating in the middle Euphrates. In 800-600 BC it spread from there to Syria and Mesopotamia. The oldest preserved inscriptions are from this period and written in Old Aramaic.
Is there a free daily prayer app? ›Daily Prayer is a beautiful, ad free, experiential app designed to develop long lasting spiritual rhythms of prayer and scripture reading based in centuries old Anglican rhythms and the Book of Common Prayer. Join us as we pray and read scripture in the morning, in the midday, in the evening and in the late evening.
Is Bible verse of the day free? ›Bible Verse of the Day is completely free, but we do have some ads.