Isaiah 41

1 "Keep silent before me, islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let's meet together for judgment.

Listen to me in silence, you people who live in lands beyond the sea. Let the nations regain their strength. Then let them come and speak, and let us join together for judgment.

2 Who has raised up one from the east? Whom he called to his foot in righteousness? He hands over nations to him, and makes him rule over kings. He gives them like the dust to his sword, like the driven stubble to his bow.

Who has encouraged this one from the east who is called into God's service to do what is right? He gives him nations, and helps him trample kings underfoot. He makes them like dust with his sword, and turns them into chaff with his bow, blown before him on the wind.

3 He pursues them, and passes by safely, Even by a way that he had not gone with his feet.

He chases them down, and goes on unharmed, not following the usual routes.

4 Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he."

Who has achieved and done this, calling into existence each generation from the beginning of time? I, the Lord, the first and the last, I am the one.

5 The coastlands have seen, and fear. The farthest parts of the earth tremble. They approach, and come.

The islands watch in fear, the distant lands tremble. They get together and consult.

6 Everyone helps his neighbor. They say to their brothers, "Be strong."

They all help each other, encouraging one another to “Be strong!”

7 So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smoothes with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It is good;" and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.

The craftsman encourages the goldsmith; the one who beats out the metal with a hammer encourages the one hitting the anvil, saying the soldering is good. They nail the idol down so it won't fall over.

8 "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, the ones I have chosen, descendants of my friend Abraham,

9 you whom I have taken hold of from places far away on the earth, and summoned from its border, and said to you, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.'

I brought you back from distant lands, I called you back from faraway places, telling you, “You are my servants.” I have chosen you, and I have not abandoned you.

10 Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

Don't be afraid, for I am with you! Don't be frightened for I, your God, will make you strong, and I will certainly help you. I will support you with my strong hand, acting for what is right.

11 Look, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.

See—everyone who is angry with you will be ashamed and disgraced. Those who fight against you will end up as nothing and die.

12 You will seek them, and won't find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a non-existent thing.

Even though you look for your enemies, you won't find them. Those who attack you will become absolutely nothing.

13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Do not be afraid. I will help you.'

For I the Lord will grab you by the hand and tell you, “Don't be afraid! I myself will help you.

14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you," says the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Don't be frightened, Jacob, you little worm, you people of Israel, for I will help you,” declared the Lord your Savior, the Holy One of Israel.

15 Look, I have made you into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth. You will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and will make the hills like chaff.

Look! I will make you into a new and sharp threshing device, with many pointed teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush the hills, turning them into chaff.

16 You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. You will rejoice in the LORD. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

You will throw them into the air, the wind will carry them away, and a storm will scatter them. Then you will be happy in the Lord, and boast about the Holy One of Israel.

17 The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

The poor and needy search for water, but don't find any—their tongues are dry with thirst. I, the Lord, will respond to them; I, the God of Israel, won't abandon them.

18 I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

I will open up rivers in the desolate highlands and springs in the valleys. I will make pools in the wilderness and springs in the desert.

19 I will put cedar, acacia, myrtle, and oil trees in the wilderness. I will set fir trees, pine, and box trees together in the desert;

I will plant cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees in the desert. I will place evergreens in the desert, firs and box trees together.

20 that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

In this way everyone can see and know, they can think about it and draw the conclusion that the it is the Lord who has done this, that the Holy One of Israel made it happen.

21 Produce your cause," says the LORD. "Bring forth your strong reasons," says the King of Jacob.

“Now you submit your case,” says the Lord. “Present your evidence,” says the King of Jacob.

22 "Let them come near and declare to us what shall happen. Declare the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or show us things to come.

“Let them come and tell us what's about to happen. Let them explain the things of the past, so that we can think about them and discover the final outcome. Or they can tell us about the future.

23 Declare the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and see it together.

Predict what's coming so we can know for sure that you are gods. At least do something, good or bad, to impress us when we see it.

24 Look, you are of nothing, and your work is of nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.

But look at you! You're nothing, and you can't do anything! Anyone who chooses you is disgusting!

25 "I have raised up one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name; and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.

I have encouraged the one who comes from the north. He is from the east, and will respect me. He will tread on rulers as if they were mortar, like a potter treading on clay.

26 Who has declared it from the beginning, that we may know? And before, that we may say, 'He is right?' Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.

Who announced this beforehand so that we could know about it? Who let us know in the past, so that now we could say: ‘He was right’? None of you announced it, none of you predicted it, and nobody heard you say a word!

27 I am the first to say to Zion, 'Look, look at them;' and I will give one who brings good news to Jerusalem.

I was the first to announce to Zion: ‘Look, here they are!’ I was the one who brought to Jerusalem the good news.

28 When I look, there is no man; even among them there is no counselor who, when I ask of them, can answer a word.

I look at these idols, and find there is no one who can say anything. None of them can give advice; when I ask them something, they can't even answer.

29 Look, all of them, their works are vanity and nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion.

Look at them! They're all evil, deceptive things. They can't do anything! They're just idols full of hot air!”