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!

And now, thus said YHWH, Your Creator, O Jacob, and your Fashioner, O Israel: Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you, I have called on 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 into waters, I [am] with you, And into floods, they do not overflow you, When you go into fire, you are not burned, And a flame does not burn against 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—your God YHWH, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior, I have appointed Egypt your atonement, Cush and Seba in your stead.

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 eyes, You were honored, and I have loved you, And I appoint men in your stead, And peoples instead of 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.

Do not be afraid, for I [am] with you, I bring in your seed from the east, And I 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 am saying to the north, “Give up,” And to the south, “Do not restrain.” Bring in My sons from afar, 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.”

Everyone who is called by My Name, Even for My glory I have created him, I have formed him, indeed, I have made him.

8 Bring out a people who have eyes but are blind, and who have ears but are deaf.

He brought out a blind people who have eyes, And deaf ones who 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 have been gathered together, And the peoples are assembled, Who among them declares this, And causes us to hear former things? They give their witnesses, And they are declared righteous, And they hear and say, “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.

You [are] My witnesses, a declaration of YHWH, And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you know and give credence to Me, And understand that I [am] He, Before Me there was no God formed, And after Me there is none.

11 I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no Savior but Me.

I [am] YHWH, And besides Me there is no savior.

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 declared, and saved, and proclaimed, And there is no stranger with you, And you [are] My witnesses, a declaration of YHWH, 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?”

Even from the day I [am] He, And there is no deliverer from My hand, I work, and who turns it back?

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 said YHWH, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I have sent to Babylon for your sake, And caused bars to descend—all of them, And the Chaldeans, whose song [is] in the ships.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, and your King.”

I [am] YHWH, your Holy One, 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 said YHWH, Who is giving a way in the sea, And a path in the strong 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 is bringing forth chariot and horse, A force, even a strong one: “They lie down together—they do not rise, They have been extinguished, They have been quenched as flax.”

18 “Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old.

Do not remember former things, And do not consider ancient things.

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 am doing a new thing, now it springs up, Do you not know it? Indeed, I put a way in a wilderness, In a desolate place—floods.

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 honors Me, Dragons and daughters of an ostrich, For I have given waters in a wilderness, Floods in a desolate place, To give drink to My people—My chosen.

21 The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

I have formed this people for Myself, They recount My praise.

22 But you have not called on Me, O Jacob, because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.

And you have not called Me, O Jacob, For you have been wearied 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 to Me, The lamb of your burnt-offerings, And [with] your sacrifices you have not honored Me, I have not caused you to serve with a present, Nor wearied you 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.

You have not bought Me sweet cane with money, And have not filled Me [with] the fat of your sacrifices, Only—you have caused 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 [am] He who is blotting out Your transgressions for My own sake, And I do not remember your sins.

26 Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated.

Cause Me to remember—we are judged together, Declare that you may be justified.

27 Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.

Your first father sinned, And your interpreters transgressed against Me,

28 So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to destruction and Israel to reproach.”

And I defile princes of the sanctuary, And I give Jacob to destruction, and Israel to revilings!