Isaiah 45
1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut;
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:
2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut asunder the bars of iron:
“I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, who call [thee] by thy name, [am] the God of Israel.
I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me:
For the sake of Jacob My servant and Israel My chosen one, I call you by name; I have given you a title of honor, though you have not known Me.
5 I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God besides me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will equip you for battle, though you have not known Me,
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none besides me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else.
so that all may know, from where the sun rises to where it sets, that there is none but Me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.
8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.
9 Woe to him that contendeth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [contend] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker— one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?
10 Woe to him that saith to [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to his mother, ‘What have you brought forth?’”
11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: “How dare you question Me about My sons, or instruct Me in the work of My hands?
12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, and I ordained all their host.
13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for payment or reward, says the LORD of Hosts.”
14 Thus saith the LORD, The labor of Egypt, and merchandise of Cush and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down to thee, they shall make supplication to thee, [saying], Surely God [is] in thee; and [there is] none else, [there is] no God.
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you; they will come over in chains and bow down to you. They will confess to you: ‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other; there is no other God.’”
15 Verily thou [art] a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
Truly You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together [that are] makers of idols.
They will all be put to shame and humiliated; the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.
17 [But] Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
But Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you will not be put to shame or humiliated, to ages everlasting.
18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else.
For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens—He is God; He formed the earth and fashioned it; He established it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I have not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.
20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye [that have] escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray to a god [that] cannot save.
Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood and pray to a god that cannot save.
21 Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yes, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else besides me; a just God and a Savior; [there is] none besides me.
Speak up and present your case— yes, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is none but Me.
22 Look to me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, That to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
24 Surely, shall [one] say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: [even] to him shall [men] come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
Surely they will say of Me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.
25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
In the LORD all descendants of Israel will be justified and will exult.
