For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
- BSB “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
- NKJV “ForMy thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
- NASB “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
- NLT “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God declares that His thoughts and ways are not like ours. It matters because it humbles human presumption and points to the surprising mercy of God.
Overview
In context, this contrasts God's readiness to 'abundantly pardon' with our limited, grudging notions of mercy. His ways transcend human calculation, especially in grace. The unexpected logic of the cross, where God justifies sinners through the Servant's death, shows just how far His thoughts surpass ours.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 92:5O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
- Ps 40:5Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
- Hos 14:9Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
- Ezek 18:29Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
- Ps 25:10All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
- Dan 4:37Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Isa 53:6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- Prov 21:8The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.
- Prov 25:3The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
- 2 Sam 7:19And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?
- Jer 3:1They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 55:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.