Isaiah 43:1–13

God Is Always with His People

43Now this is what the Lord says.

He created you, people of Jacob;

he formed you, people of Israel.

He says, “Don’t be afraid, because I have saved you.

I have called you by name, and you are mine.

²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.

When you cross rivers, you will not drown.

When you walk through fire, you will not be burned,

nor will the flames hurt you.

³This is because I, the Lord, am your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I gave Egypt to pay for you,

and I gave Cush and Seba to make you mine.

⁴Because you are precious to me,

because I give you honor and love you,

I will give other people in your place;

I will give other nations to save your life.

⁵Don’t be afraid, because I am with you.

I will bring your children from the east

and gather you from the west.

⁶I will tell the north: Give my people to me.

I will tell the south: Don’t keep my people in prison.

Bring my sons from far away

and my daughters from faraway places.

⁷Bring to me all the people who are mine,

whom I made for my glory,

whom I formed and made.”

Judah Is God’s Witness

⁸Bring out the people who have eyes but don’t see

and those who have ears but don’t hear.

⁹All the nations gather together,

and all the people come together.

Which of their gods said this would happen?

Which of their gods can tell what happened in the beginning?

Let them bring their witnesses to prove they were right.

Then others will say, “It is true.”

¹⁰The Lord says, “You are my witnesses

and the servant I chose.

I chose you so you would know and believe me,

so you would understand that I am the true God.

There was no God before me,

and there will be no God after me.

¹¹I myself am the Lord;

I am the only Savior.

¹²I myself have spoken to you, saved you, and told you these things.

It was not some foreign god among you.

You are my witnesses, and I am God,”

says the Lord.

¹³“I have always been God.

No one can save people from my power;

when I do something, no one can change it.”