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 Jehovah, that created thee, O Jacob, That formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by 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 waters, I will be with thee; And through rivers, they shall not overflow thee; When thou walkest through fire, thou shalt not be burned, And the flame shall not consume 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 Jehovah, thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy saviour. I will give Egypt for 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.

Because thou art precious in my sight, Because thou art honored, and I love thee, Therefore will I give men for thee, And nations 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 children 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 them up!” And to the South, “Withhold them not! Bring my sons from afar, 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.”

Every one that is called by my name, That I have created for my glory, That I have formed and made!”

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

Bring forth the blind people, having eyes, And the deaf, having 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 the kingdoms be assembled! Who among them hath declared this, And can show us former predictions? Let them produce their witnesses that they are right; That men may hear, and say, It is true!

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 Jehovah, And my servant whom I have chosen, That ye may know and believe me, And understand that I am He. Before me was no god formed, And after me there shall be none.

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

I, I am Jehovah, And besides 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; I made it known, when there was no strange god among you; Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, 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?”

Even from the beginning of time I have been He, And none can rescue from my hand; I undertake, and who can hinder?

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 Jehovah, Your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sakes have I sent to Babylon, And caused all her fugitives, And the Chaldeans, to descend to the ships of their delight.

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

I, Jehovah, am 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 Jehovah, —He that made 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:

That caused the chariot and the horse, the army and the forces, to march forth; There they lay down together; they rose no more; They were extinguished; they were quenched like a torch; —

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

Remember not the former things; The things of old regard no more!

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 do a new thing; Now shall it spring forth; yea, ye shall see it. Behold, I make a way in the wilderness, And streams 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 forest shall honor me, The jackals and the ostriches; For I make rivers in the wilderness And streams in the desert, To give drink to my people, my chosen.

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

This people, which I have formed for myself Shall make known 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, So as to have wearied thyself for 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 thy lambs for a burnt-offering, Nor honored me with thy sacrifices; I have not burdened thee with oblations, Nor wearied thee 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.

Thou hast bought me no sweet-smelling reed with silver, Neither hast thou satisfied me with the fat of thy sacrifices; With thy sins hast thou burdened me, And 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, I myself, blot out thy transgressions for my own sake, And will not remember thy 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; Speak that thou mayst justify thyself.

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

Thy forefathers sinned, And thy teachers were rebellious against me;

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

Therefore have I profaned the princes of the sanctuary, And given up Jacob to a curse, And Israel to reproach.