“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
Parallel translations
- KJV For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
- 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 92:5How great are your works, Yahweh! Your thoughts are very deep.
- Ps 40:5Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are toward us. They can’t be declared back to you. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be counted.
- Hos 14:9Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.
- Ezek 18:29Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
- Ps 25:10All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
- Dan 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.
- Isa 53:6All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- Prov 21:8The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
- Prov 25:3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
- 2 Sam 7:19This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh; but you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come; and this among men, Lord Yahweh!
- Jer 3:1“They say, ‘If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him, and becomes another man’s, should he return to her again?’ Wouldn’t that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me,” says Yahweh.
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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.