Isaiah 64, side by side

Two versions of the same chapter. Each row is one verse, so you can see how the wording changes.

Modern

1If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence,

Classic

1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

Modern

2as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

Classic

2As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

Modern

3When You did awesome works that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.

Classic

3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

Modern

4From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Classic

4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Modern

5You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?

Classic

5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

Modern

6Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

Classic

6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Modern

7No one calls on Your name or strives to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us and delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

Classic

7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Modern

8But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.

Classic

8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Modern

9Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray; we are all Your people!

Classic

9Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

Modern

10Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.

Classic

10Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

Modern

11Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins.

Classic

11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Modern

12After all this, O LORD, will You restrain Yourself? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

Classic

12Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

Your pair of translations is remembered on this device for other chapters.