Isaiah 55:8-9

55:8 “Indeed, ¹  my plans ²  are not like ³  your plans,

and my deeds ⁴  are not like ⁵  your deeds,

55:9 for just as the sky ⁶  is higher than the earth,

so my deeds ⁷  are superior to ⁸  your deeds

and my plans ⁹  superior to your plans.

Romans 11:33-34

11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!

11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor? ¹⁰ 

[55:8]  ¹ tn Or “For” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV).

[55:8]  ² tn Or “thoughts” (so many English versions).

[55:8]  ³ tn Heb “are not.” “Like” is interpretive, but v. 9 indicates that a comparison is in view.

[55:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “ways” (so many English versions).

[55:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “are not.” “Like” is interpretive, but v. 9 indicates that a comparison is in view.

[55:9]  ⁶ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[55:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “ways” (so many English versions).

[55:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “are higher than.”

[55:9]  ⁹ tn Or “thoughts” (so many English versions).

[11:34]  ¹⁰ sn A quotation from Isa 40:13.