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.

But now the LORD who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel, says: “Don’t be afraid, 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 through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burnt, and flame will not scorch you.

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 Saviour. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia 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.

Since you have been precious and honoured in my sight, and I have loved you, therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead 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.

Don’t 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 tell the north, ‘Give them up!’ and tell the south, ‘Don’t hold them back! Bring my sons from far away, 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 who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.’”

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

Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.

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.

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who amongst them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified, or let them hear, and say, “That 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,” says the LORD, “With my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me.

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

I myself am the LORD. Besides me, there is no saviour.

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 have declared, I have saved, and I have shown, and there was no strange god amongst you. Therefore you are my witnesses”, says the LORD, “and 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?

Yes, since the day was, I am he. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder 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.

The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing.

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, your King.”

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

The LORD, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty 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 chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick) says:

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

“Don’t remember the former things, and don’t consider 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 will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don’t you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers 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 animals of the field, the jackals and the ostriches, shall honour me, because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,

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

the people which I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise.

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

Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, 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 any of your sheep for burnt offerings, neither have you honoured 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 bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled 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, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

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

Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare your case, that you may be justified.

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

Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me.

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

Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel an insult.”