"I, even I, am He who comfortsyou. Whoare you that you are afraidof manwho diesAnd of the sonof manwho is madelike grass,
The LORDis for me; I will not fear;Whatcan mandoto me?
For, "ALLFLESHIS LIKEGRASS,AND ALLITS GLORYLIKETHE FLOWEROF GRASS.THE GRASSWITHERS,AND THE FLOWERFALLS OFF,
Stopregardingman,whosebreath[of life] is in his nostrils;For whyshould he be esteemed?
"I will not leaveyou as orphans;I will cometo you.
"As onewhomhis mothercomforts,soI will comfortyou; And you will be comfortedin Jerusalem."
"Do not fearthosewho killthe bodybut are unableto killthe soul;but ratherfearHim who is ableto destroybothsouland bodyin hell.
Indeed,the LORDwill comfortZion;He will comfortallher wasteplaces.And her wildernessHe will makelike Eden,And her desertlike the gardenof the LORD;Joyand gladnesswill be foundin her, Thanksgivingand soundof a melody.
"I, even I, am the one who wipesout your transgressionsfor My own sake,And I will not rememberyour sins.
Manyseekthe ruler'sfavor,But justicefor man[comes] from the LORD.
His spiritdeparts,he returnsto the earth;In that very dayhis thoughtsperish.
That when the wickedsproutedup likegrassAnd allwho didiniquityflourished,It [was only] that they might be destroyedforevermore.
Sothe churchthroughoutallJudeaand Galileeand Samariaenjoyedpeace,being builtup; and goingon in the fearof the Lordand in the comfortof the HolySpirit,it continued to increase.
Then Saulsaidto Samuel,"I have sinned;I have indeedtransgressedthe commandof the LORDand your words,becauseI fearedthe peopleand listenedto their voice.
The angelof the LORDsaidto Elijah,"Godownwith him; do not be afraidof him." So he aroseand wentdownwith him to the king.
"Comfort,O comfortMy people,"saysyour God.
Shoutfor joy,O heavens!And rejoice,O earth!Breakforthinto joyfulshouting,O mountains!For the LORDhas comfortedHis peopleAnd will havecompassionon His afflicted.
"Of whomwere you worriedand fearfulWhenyou lied,and did not rememberMe Norgive[Me] a thought?Was I not silenteven for a longtimeSo you do not fearMe?
Then KingZedekiahsaidto Jeremiah,"I dreadthe Jewswhohave goneoverto the Chaldeans,for they may giveme over into their handand they will abuseme."
becauseof the Chaldeans;for they were afraidof them, sinceIshmaelthe sonof Nethaniahhad struckdownGedaliahthe sonof Ahikam,whomthe kingof Babylonhad appointedover the land.
"And you, sonof man,neitherfearthem norfeartheir words,thoughthistlesand thornsare with you and you siton scorpions;neitherfeartheir wordsnorbe dismayedat their presence,for they are a rebellioushouse.
When Sauland allIsraelheardthesewordsof the Philistine,they were dismayedand greatlyafraid.
So he disguisedhis sanitybeforethem, and actedinsanelyin their hands,and scribbledon the doorsof the gate,and let his salivarundowninto his beard.
"You are not to say,[It is] a conspiracy!'In regard to allthat thispeoplecalla conspiracy,And you are not to fearwhatthey fearor be in dreadof [it].
"Behold,Godis my salvation,I will trustand not be afraid;For the LORDGODis my strengthand song,And He has becomemy salvation."
Breakforth,shoutjoyfullytogether,You wasteplacesof Jerusalem;For the LORDhas comfortedHis people,He has redeemedJerusalem.
To proclaimthe favorableyearof the LORDAnd the dayof vengeanceof our God;To comfortallwho mourn,
