Isaiah 45

45The Lord says this to Cyrus, His anointed, ⁱ

whose right hand I have grasped ^j

to subdue nations before him,

to disarm ^kkings, ^l

to open the doors before him

and the gates will not be shut:

²“I will go before you

and level the uneven places; ^mn

I will shatter the bronze doors

and cut the iron bars in two. ^o

³I will give you the treasures of darkness

and riches from secret places, ^p

so that you may know that I, Yahweh,

the God of Israel call you by your name. ^q

⁴I call you by your name,

because of Jacob My servant ^r

and Israel My chosen one.

I give a name to you,

though you do not know Me.

⁵I am Yahweh, and there is no other; ^s

there is no God but Me. ^t

I will strengthen ^uyou,

though you do not know Me,

⁶so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting

that there is no one but Me. ^v

I am Yahweh, and there is no other.

⁷I form light and create darkness, ^w

I make success and create disaster; ^x

I, Yahweh, do all these things.

⁸“Heavens, sprinkle from above,

and let the skies shower righteousness. ^y

Let the earth open up

so that salvation will sprout

and righteousness will spring up with it. ^z

I, Yahweh, have created it.

⁹“Woe to the one who argues with his Maker—

one clay pot among many. ^a

Does clay say to the one forming it,

‘What are you making?’ ^b

Or does your work say,

‘He has no hands’? ^c

¹⁰How absurd is the one who says to his father,

‘What are you fathering?’

or to his mother,

‘What are you giving birth to?’ ”

¹¹This is what the Lord,

the Holy One of Israel ^dand its Maker, says:

“Ask Me what is to happen to ^eMy sons, ^f

and instruct Me about the work of My hands. ^g

¹²I made the earth,

and created man on it.

It was My hands that stretched out the heavens, ^h

and I commanded all their host.

¹³I have raised him up in righteousness, ⁱ

and will level all roads for him.

He will rebuild My city, ^j

and set My exiles free, ^k

not for a price or a bribe,”

says the Lord of Hosts.

God Alone is the Savior

¹⁴This is what the Lord says:

The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush

and the Sabeans, men of stature, ^l

will come over to you ^m

and will be yours;

they will follow you,

they will come over in chains

and bow down to you.

They will confess ⁿto you:

God is indeed with you, ^oand there is no other;

there is no other God.

¹⁵Yes, You are a God who hides Himself, ^p

God of Israel, Savior. ^q

¹⁶All of them are put to shame, even humiliated; ^r

the makers of idols go in humiliation together.

¹⁷Israel will be saved by the Lord

with an everlasting salvation;

you will not be put to shame or humiliated

for all eternity. ^s

¹⁸For this is what the Lord says—

God is the Creator of the heavens.

He formed the earth and made it.

He established it;

He did not create it to be empty,

but formed it to be inhabited ^t—

“I am Yahweh,

and there is no other.

¹⁹I have not spoken in secret, ^u

somewhere in a land of darkness.

I did not say to the descendants of Jacob:

Seek Me in a wasteland. ^v

I, Yahweh, speak truthfully; ^w

I say what is right.

²⁰“Come, gather together,

and draw near, you fugitives of the nations.

Those who carry their wooden idols,

and pray to a god who cannot save, ^x

have no knowledge. ^y

²¹Speak up and present your case ^za—

yes, let them take counsel together.

Who predicted this long ago?

Who announced it from ancient times?

Was it not I, Yahweh?

There is no other God but Me,

a righteous God and Savior; ^b

there is no one except Me. ^c

²²Turn to Me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth.

For I am God,

and there is no other.

²³By Myself I have sworn; ^d

Truth has gone from My mouth, ^e

a word that will not be revoked:

Every knee will bow ^fto Me,

every tongue will swear allegiance.

²⁴It will be said to Me: Righteousness and strength

is only in the Lord.”

All who are enraged against Him

will come to Him and be put to shame. ^g

²⁵All the descendants of Israel

will be justified and find glory through the Lord.