< Isaiah 43 >
1 Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.
For I am the LORD thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
4 Because you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you and nations in place of your life.
Since thou art precious in My sight, and honourable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men for thee, and peoples for thy life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.
Fear not, for I am with thee; I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—
I will say to the north: 'Give up,' and to the south: 'Keep not back, bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the end of the earth;
7 everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.”
Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.'
8 Bring out a people who have eyes but are blind, and who have ears but are deaf.
The blind people that have eyes shall be brought forth, and the deaf that have ears.
9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses to vindicate them, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
All the nations are gathered together, and the peoples are assembled; who among them can declare this, and announce to us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; and let them hear, and say: 'It is truth.'
10 “You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come.
Ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He; before Me there was no God formed, neither shall any be after Me.
11 I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.
I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no saviour.
12 I alone decreed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
I have declared, and I have saved, and I have announced, and there was no strange god among you; therefore ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, and I am God.
13 Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
Yea, since the day was I am He, and there is none that can deliver out of My hand; I will work, and who can reverse it?
14 Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake, I will send to Babylon and bring them all as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
Thus saith the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring down all of them as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their shouting.
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, and your King.”
I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,
Thus saith the LORD, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
17 who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
Who bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power — they lie down together, they shall not rise, they are extinct, they are quenched as a wick:
18 “Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
20 The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.
The beasts of the field shall honour Me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, Mine elect;
21 The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.
The people which I formed for Myself, that they might tell of My praise.
22 But you have not called on Me, O Jacob, because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.
Yet thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob, neither hast thou wearied thyself about Me, O Israel.
23 You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.
Thou hast not brought Me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honoured Me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with a meal-offering, nor wearied thee with frankincense.
24 You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver, nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities.
Thou hast bought Me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou satisfied Me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened Me with thy sins, thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities.
25 I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.
I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake; and thy sins I will not remember.
26 Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated.
Put Me in remembrance, let us plead together; declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
27 Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.
Thy first father sinned, and thine intercessors have transgressed against Me.
28 So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to destruction and Israel to reproach.”
Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and I have given Jacob to condemnation, and Israel to reviling.