Isaiah 43
43
Israel’s only Saviour
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#43:3 That is, the upper Nile region 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,#43:14 Or Chaldeans
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#43:22 Or Jacob; / surely you have grown weary of 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#43:28 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
and Israel to scorn.
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Isaiah 43: NIVUK
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®
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Isaiah 43
43
The Lord Has Rescued His People
1Descendants of Jacob,
I, the Lord, created you
and formed your nation.
Israel, don't be afraid.
I have rescued you.
I have called you by name;
now you belong to me.
2When you cross deep rivers,
I will be with you,
and you won't drown.
When you walk through fire,
you won't be burned
or scorched by the flames.
3I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
the God who saves you.
I gave up Egypt, Ethiopia,#43.3 Ethiopia: See the note at 11.11.
and the region of Seba#43.3 Seba: A region in southwest Arabia. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba probably stood for all that was known of Africa in biblical times.
in exchange for you.
4To me, you are very dear,
and I love you.
That's why I gave up nations
and people to rescue you.
5Don't be afraid! I am with you.
From both east and west
I will bring you together.
6I will say to the north
and to the south,
“Free my sons and daughters!
Let them return
from distant lands.
7They are my people—
I created each of them
to bring honor to me.”
The Lord Alone Is God
The Lord said:
8Bring my people together.
They have eyes and ears,
but they can't see or hear.
9Tell everyone of every nation
to gather around.
None of them can honestly say,
“We told you so!”
If someone heard them say this,
then tell us about it now.
10My people, you are my witnesses
and my chosen servant.
I want you to know me,
to trust me, and understand
that I alone am God.
I have always been God;
there can be no others.
11I alone am the Lord;
only I can rescue you.
12I promised to save you,
and I kept my promise.
You are my witnesses
that no other god did this.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
13I am God now and forever.
No one can snatch you from me
or stand in my way.
The Lord Will Prepare the Way
14I, the Lord, will rescue you!
I am Israel's holy God,
and this is my promise:
For your sake, I will send
an army against Babylon
to drag its people away,
crying as they go.#43.14 crying as they go: Or “in their glorious ships.”
15I am the Lord, your holy God,
Israel's Creator and King.
16I am the one who cut a path
through the mighty ocean.
17I sent an army to chase you
with chariots and horses;
now they lie dead,
unable to move.
They are like an oil lamp
with the flame snuffed out.
Forget the Past
The Lord said:
18Forget what happened long ago!
Don't think about the past.
19I am creating something new.
There it is! Do you see it?
I have put roads in deserts,
streams#43.19 streams: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls “paths.” in thirsty lands.
20Every wild animal honors me,
even jackals#43.20 jackals: Desert animals related to wolves, but smaller. and owls.
I provide water in deserts—
streams in thirsty lands
for my chosen people.
21I made them my own nation,
so they would praise me.
22I, the Lord, said to Israel:
You have become weary of me,
but not from worshiping me.
23You have not honored me
by sacrificing sheep
or other animals.
And I have not burdened you
with demands for sacrifices
or sweet-smelling incense.
24You have not brought
delicious spices for me
or given me the best part
of your sacrificed animals.
Instead, you burden me down
with your terrible sins.
25But I wipe away your sins
because of who I am.
And so, I will forget
the wrongs you have done.
26Meet me in court!
State your case and prove
that you are right.
27Your earliest ancestor#43.27 earliest ancestor: Jacob, also known as Israel.
and all your leaders#43.27 leaders: Probably prophets, but perhaps also priests and kings.
rebelled against me.
28That's why I don't allow
your priests to serve me;
I let Israel be destroyed
and your people disgraced.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.