< 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 says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are 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 you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.
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 your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour: I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you.
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 you were precious in my sight, you have been honourable, and I have loved you: therefore will I give men for you, and people for your 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 you: I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you 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 ends of the earth;
7 everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.”
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him 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.
Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, 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.”
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or 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.
All of you are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that all of you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there 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 have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore all of you are my witnesses, says the LORD, that 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, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let 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 says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
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 says the LORD, which makes 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:
Which brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
18 “Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.
Remember all of you 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 it shall spring forth; shall all of you 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 beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
21 The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.
This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.
22 But you have not called on Me, O Jacob, because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.
But you have not called upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of 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.
You have not brought me the small cattle of your burnt offerings; neither have you honoured me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with an offering, nor wearied you with incense.
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.
You have bought me no sweet cane with money, neither have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices: but you have made me to serve with your sins, you have wearied me with your 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 blots out your transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember your sins.
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 you, that you may be justified.
27 Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.
Your first father has sinned, and your teachers 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 have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.