Isaiah 45
1 The Lord says to the man of his selection, to Cyrus, whom I have taken by the right hand, putting down nations before him, and taking away the arms of kings; making the doors open before him, so that the ways into the towns may not be shut;
Thus says the Lord God to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, that nations might be obedient before him; and I will break through the strength of kings; I will open doors before him, and cities shall not be closed.
2 I will go before you, and make the rough places level: the doors of brass will be broken, and the iron rods cut in two:
I will go before you, and will level mountains: I will break to pieces brazen doors, and burst iron bars.
3 And I will give you the stores of the dark, and the wealth of secret places, so that you may be certain that I am the Lord, who gave you your name, even the God of Israel.
And I will give you the treasures of darkness, I will open to you hidden, unseen [treasures], that you may know that I, the Lord your God, that call you by name, am the God of Israel.
4 Because of Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have taken for myself, I have sent for you by name, giving you a name of honour, though you had no knowledge of me.
For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel mine elect, I will call you by your name, and accept you: but you have not known me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me: I will make you ready for war, though you had no knowledge of me:
For I am the Lord God, and there is no other God beside me; I strengthened you, and you have not known me.
6 So that they may see from the east and from the west that there is no God but me: I am the Lord, and there is no other.
That they that [come] from the east and they that [come] from the west may know that there is no God but me. I am the Lord God, and there is none beside.
7 I am the giver of light and the maker of the dark; causing blessing, and sending troubles; I am the Lord, who does all these things.
I am he that prepared light, and formed darkness; who make peace, and create evil; I am the Lord God, that does all these things.
8 Let righteousness come down, O heavens, from on high, and let the sky send it down like rain: let the earth be open to give the fruit of salvation, causing righteousness to come up with it; I the Lord have made it come about.
Let the heaven rejoice from above, and let the clouds rain righteousness: let the earth bring forth, and blossom [with] mercy, and bring forth righteousness likewise: I am the Lord that created you.
9 Cursed is he who has an argument with his Maker, the pot which has an argument with the Potter! Will the wet earth say to him who is working with it, What are you doing, that your work has nothing by which it may be gripped?
What excellent thing have I prepared as clay of the potter? Will the plowman plow the earth all day? shall the clay say to the potter, What are you doing that you do not work, nor have hands? shall the thing formed answer him that formed it?
10 Cursed is he who says to a father, To what are you giving life? or to a woman, What are you in birth-pains with?
As though one should say to [his] father, What will you beget me? and to his mother, What are you bringing forth?
11 The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, says, Will you put a question to me about the things which are to come, or will you give me orders about my sons, and the work of my hands?
For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, who has formed the things that are to come, Enquire of me concerning my sons, and concerning the works of my hands command me.
12 I have made the earth, forming man on it: by my hands the heavens have been stretched out, and all the stars put in their ordered places.
I have made the earth, and man upon it: I with my hand have established the heaven; I have given commandment to all the stars.
13 I have sent him out to overcome the nations, and I will make all his ways straight: I will give him the work of building my town, and he will let my prisoners go free, without price or reward, says the Lord of armies.
I have raised him up [to be] a king with righteousness, and all his ways are right: he shall build my city, and shall turn the captivity of my people, not for ransoms, nor for rewards, says the Lord of hosts.
14 The Lord says, The workmen of Egypt, and the traders of Ethiopia, and the tall Sabaeans, will come over the sea to you, and they will be yours; they will go after you; in chains they will come over: and they will go down on their faces before you, and will make prayer to you, saying, Truly, God is among you; and there is no other God.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, Egypt has laboured [for you]; and the merchandise of the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over to you, and shall be your servants; and they shall follow after you bound in fetters, and shall pass over to you, and shall do obeisance to you, and make supplication to you: because God is in you; and there is no God beside you, [O Lord].
15 Truly, you have a secret God, the God of Israel is a Saviour!
For you are God, yet we knew [it] not, the God of Israel, the Saviour.
16 All those who have gone against him will be put to shame; the makers of images will be made low.
All that are opposed to him shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall walk in shame: you isles, keep a feast to me.
17 But the Lord will make Israel free with an eternal salvation: you will not be put to shame or made low for ever and ever.
Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation: they shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore.
18 For this is the word of the Lord who made the heavens; he is God; the maker and designer of the earth; who made it not to be a waste, but as a living-place for man: I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Thus says the Lord that made the heaven, this God that created the earth, and made it; he marked it out, he made it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord, and there is none beside.
19 I have not given my word in secret, in a place in the underworld; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, Go into a waste land to make request of me: I the Lord say what is true, my word is righteousness.
I have not spoken in secret, nor in a dark place of the earth: I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek vanity: I, even I, am the Lord, speaking righteousness, and proclaiming truth.
20 Come together, even come near, you nations who are still living: they have no knowledge who take up their image of wood, and make prayer to a god in whom is no salvation.
Assemble yourselves and come; take counsel together, you that escape of the nations: they that set up wood, [even] their graven image, have no knowledge, nor they who pray to gods that do not save.
21 Give the word, put forward your cause, let us have a discussion together: who has given news of this in the past? who made it clear in early times? did not I, the Lord? and there is no God but me; a true God and a saviour; there is no other.
If they will declare, let them draw near, that they may know together, who has caused these things to be heard from the beginning: then was it told you. I am God, and there is not another beside me; a just [God] and a Saviour; there is none but me.
22 Let your hearts be turned to me, so that you may have salvation, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.
Turn you to me, and you shall be saved, you that [come] from the end of the earth: I am God, and there is none other.
23 By myself have I taken an oath, a true word has gone from my mouth, and will not be changed, that to me every knee will be bent, and every tongue will give honour.
By myself I swear, righteousness shall surely proceed out of my mouth; my words shall not be frustrated; that to me every knee shall bend, and every tongue shall swear by God,
24 Only in the Lord will Jacob overcome and be strong: together all those who were angry with him will be put to shame and come to destruction.
saying, Righteousness and glory shall come to him: and all that remove them from their borders shall be ashamed.
25 In the Lord will all the seed of Israel get their rights, and they will give glory to him.
By the Lord shall they be justified, and in God shall all the seed of the children of Israel be glorified.
