1But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.3For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush[1] and Seba in your stead.4Since you are precious and honoured in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.5Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.6I 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 –7everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.’8Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.9All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, ‘It is true.’10‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.11I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no saviour.12I have revealed and saved and proclaimed – I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘that I am God.13Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No-one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?’
God’s mercy and Israel’s unfaithfulness
14This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians,[2] in the ships in which they took pride.15I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.’16This is what the Lord says – he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,17who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:18‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.20The wild animals honour me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,21the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.22‘Yet you have not called on me, Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for[3] me, Israel.23You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honoured me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense.24You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offences.25‘I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.26Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.27Your first father sinned; those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.28So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple; I consigned Jacob to destruction[4] and Israel to scorn.
Isaiah 43
English Standard Version
Israel’s Only Savior
1But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. (Ge 32:28; Isa 41:14; Isa 44:2; Isa 44:21; Isa 44:24; Isa 45:3)2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Ps 66:12; Isa 42:25; Da 3:25; Da 3:27)3For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. (Ex 20:2; Ps 72:10; Isa 45:14; Isa 52:3)4Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.5Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. (Ps 107:3; Isa 41:10; Isa 41:13; Isa 44:2; Isa 49:12; Isa 60:8; Jer 30:10)6I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, (2Co 6:18)7everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”8Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! (Isa 42:19)9All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. (Isa 41:1; Isa 41:21)10“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. (Isa 41:4; Isa 42:1; Isa 43:12; Isa 44:8)11I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. (Isa 45:21; Ho 13:4)12I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. (Isa 43:10)13Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?” (Ps 90:2; Isa 41:4; Joh 8:58)14Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. (Isa 23:13; Isa 43:4; Isa 47:1)15I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”16Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, (Ex 14:21; Ps 77:19; Isa 51:10)17who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: (Ex 14:4; Ps 76:5; Ps 118:12; Isa 1:31)18“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. (Jer 16:14; Jer 23:7)19Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isa 35:8; Isa 41:18; Isa 42:9; Isa 48:21; 2Co 5:17; Re 21:5)20The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, (Isa 13:22; Isa 49:10)21the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. (Ps 22:3; Ps 79:13; Ps 105:1; Lu 1:74; 1Pe 2:9)22“Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! (Mic 6:3)23You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. (Isa 43:22; Am 5:25)24You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or 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, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isa 44:22; Isa 46:8; Eze 36:25)26Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right. (Isa 1:18)27Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. (Jer 5:31; Eze 16:3)28Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling. (Jer 24:9; Jer 29:22; La 2:2)