Isaiah 43

1 But now thus says the LORD who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: "Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

But now this is what the Lord says to Jacob, the one who created you; to Israel, the one who formed you: “Don't be afraid! I have saved you! I have called you by name; you are mine!

2 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 burned, and the flame will not scorch you.

When you walk through the water, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they won't flood over you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you on fire.

3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for your freedom; I traded Ethiopia and Seba for you.

4 Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

Because you are so valuable to me, because I honor you, and because I love you, I give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your lives.

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

Don't be afraid, for I am with you! I will bring you and your children from the east and the west, and gather you together.

6 I will tell the north, 'Give them up.' and tell the south, 'Do not hold them back. Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the farthest parts of the earth—

I will tell the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and the south, ‘Don't stop them!’ Bring my sons back from far away and my daughters from distant lands.

7 everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.'"

Bring back everyone who bears my name, those I created for my honor, those I formed and made.

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

Bring back those who have eyes but are blind, those who have ears but are deaf.

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among 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."

Have all the nations gather together! Have all the peoples assemble! Who among them could have said this, and predict what was going to happen? Have them bring their witnesses to prove that they're right. Then have them listen, and say, ‘It's true!’

10 "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.

However, you are my witnesses, the Lord declares, and my chosen servant, so that you can think about it, and believe me and understand that I am God. No god preceded me, and none will come after me.

11 I, I am the LORD; and besides me there is no savior.

I, yes I am the Lord, and there is no Savior apart from me.

12 I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown; and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses," says the LORD, "and I am God.

I predicted what was going to happen, then I saved you, then I announced it—there was no foreign god among you that did this. You are my witnesses that I am God, declares the Lord.

13 Yes, since the day was I am he; and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?"

I am God from the beginning. No one can snatch anybody from my hand. No one can reverse what I do.

14 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "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.

This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: For your sake I will send attackers against Babylon and bring them down. All the Babylonians will be like fugitives, escaping in the ships they're so proud of.

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

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

16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

This is what the Lord says, the one who makes a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters;

17 who brings forth 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):

the one who brought out a great army with it horses and chariots and lay them down, never to rise again, snuffed out like a burning wick.

18 "Do not remember the former things, and do not consider the things of old.

But don't dwell on the past; don't concentrate on what happened back then.

19 Look, I will do a new thing. It springs forth now. Do you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Just look at something new I'm going to do now! In fact it's started already. Can't you see it? Yes, I'm making a way through the wilderness, rivers in the desert!

20 The animals of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,

The wild animals will be grateful to me, the jackals and the owls, because I'm providing water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, so my people, my chosen people, can drink.

21 the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise.

I made this people for myself so that through their praise for me they could make me known.

22 Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.

But you haven't called on me for help, Jacob. You've grown tired of me, Israel.

23 You have not brought me of your sheep for burnt offerings; neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense.

You haven't brought me sheep for burnt offerings; you haven't honored me with your sacrifices. I haven't burdened you by asking for grain offerings; I haven't tired you out by demanding incense.

24 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.

You haven't used your money to buy scented calamus; you have not pleased me with the fat of your sacrifices. Instead you have burdened me with your sins, and tired me out with your guilt.

25 I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

I, yes I am the God who wipes out your sins because of who I am, and who doesn't remember your sins any more.

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

Remind me of the evidence so we can come to a decision together! Present your case to prove that you're right!

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

Your very first father sinned, and your leaders rebelled against me.

28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel a reviling."

So I treated the priests of the sanctuary with contempt, and I handed Jacob over to be destroyed, and Israel to be scorned.”