Isaiah 43

1 But now thus hath said 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; mine art thou.

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!

2 Whenever thou passest through the waters, I am with thee; and through the rivers, —they shall not overflow thee: whenever thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be scorched; neither shall the flame burn on thee.

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.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt for thy ransom, Cush and Seba in place of thee.

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.

4 Since thou art precious in my eyes, art honorable, and I indeed do love thee: therefore will I give men in place of thee, and nations instead of thy soul.

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.

5 Fear not, for I am with thee; from the east will I bring thy seed, and from the west will I gather thee.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.

6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Withhold not: 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, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth—

7 Every one that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory; whom I have formed; yea, whom I have made.

everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.”

8 Bring forward the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

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

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can announce this? and cause us to hear former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

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.”

10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: in order that ye may know and believe me, and understand, that I am he; before me there was no god formed, and after me there will be none.

“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.

11 I, I am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

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

12 I myself have announced it, and I have saved, and I have let it be heard, and there was no strange [god] among you; and ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and I am God.

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.

13 Yea, from the [first] day am I he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: if I will work, is there one that can hinder it?

Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

14 Thus hath said the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake did I send to Babylon, and in swift vessels brought I them all down, and the Chaldeans, in the ships of their joyful song.

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.

15 I am the Lord, the Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

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

16 Thus hath said the Lord, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,

17 Who bringeth forth chariot and horse, army and power: together shall they lie down, they shall not rise up again; they are extinct, like a wick are they quenched.

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:

18 Remember not the former things, and ancient events regard no more.

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

19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; will ye not acknowledge it? I will even make in the wilderness a way, and in the desert rivers.

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.

20 The beasts of the field shall honor me, the monsters and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my elect;

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.

21 This people which I have formed for myself; my praise shall they relate.

The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

22 But on me hast thou not called, O Jacob; for thou art become weary of me, O Israel.

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

23 Thou hast not brought unto me the lamb of thy burnt-offerings; and with thy sacrifices hast thou not honored me: I have not troubled thee with meat-offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense.

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.

24 Thou hast not bought for me sweet cane, and with the fat of thy sacrifices hast thou not satisfied me; but thou hast troubled me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities.

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.

25 I, it is I that blot out thy transgressions for my own sake, and thy sins I will not remember.

I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.

26 Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: relate thou, in order that thou mayest be justified.

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

27 Thy first father did sin, and they that plead for thee transgressed against me.

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

28 Therefore do I profane the holy princes, and I give up Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

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