Isaiah 42:1–9

The Lord’s Special Servant

42“Here is my servant, the one I support.

He is the one I chose, and I am pleased with him.

I have put my Spirit upon him,

and he will bring justice to all nations.

²He will not cry out or yell

or speak loudly in the streets.

³He will not break a crushed blade of grass

or put out even a weak flame.

He will truly bring justice;

⁴he will not lose hope or give up

until he brings justice to the world.

And people far away will trust his teachings.”

⁵God, the Lord, said these things.

He created the skies and stretched them out.

He spread out the earth and everything on it.

He gives life to all people on earth,

to everyone who walks on the earth.

⁶The Lord says, “I, the Lord, called you to do right,

and I will hold your hand

and protect you.

You will be the sign of my agreement with the people,

a light to shine for all people.

⁷You will help the blind to see.

You will free those who are in prison,

and you will lead those who live in darkness out of their prison.

⁸“I am the Lord. That is my name.

I will not give my glory to another;

I will not let idols take the praise that should be mine.

⁹The things I said would happen have happened,

and now I tell you about new things.

Before those things happen,

I tell you about them.”