Isaiah 43

Israel’s Only Savior

But now, this is what the Lord says—

he who created^a you, Jacob,

he who formed^b you, Israel:^c

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed^d you;

I have summoned you by name;^e you are mine.^f

When you pass through the waters,^g

I will be with you;^h

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,ⁱ

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.^j

For I am the Lord your God,^k

the Holy One^l of Israel, your Savior;^m

I give Egyptⁿ for your ransom,

Cush^o and Seba^p in your stead.^q

Since you are precious and honored^r in my sight,

and because I love^s you,

I will give nations in exchange for you,

and peoples in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid,^t for I am with you;^u

I will bring your children^v from the east

and gather^w you from the west.^x

I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’

and to the south,^y ‘Do not hold them back.’

Bring my sons from afar

and my daughters^z from the ends of the earth^a—

everyone who is called by my name,^b

whom I created^c for my glory,^d

whom I formed and made.^e”

Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,^f

who have ears but are deaf.^g

All the nations gather together^h

and the peoples assemble.

Which of their gods foretoldⁱ 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.”

“You are my witnesses,^j” declares the Lord,

“and my servant^k whom I have chosen,

so that you may know^l and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god^m was formed,

nor will there be one after me.ⁿ

I, even I, am the Lord,^o

and apart from me there is no savior.^p

I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—

I, and not some foreign god^q among you.

You are my witnesses,^r” declares the Lord, “that I am God.

Yes, and from ancient days^s I am he.^t

No one can deliver out of my hand.

When I act, who can reverse it?”^u

God’s Mercy and Israel’s Unfaithfulness

This is what the Lord says—

your Redeemer,^a the Holy One^b of Israel:

“For your sake I will send to Babylon

and bring down as fugitives^c all the Babylonians,^d

in the ships in which they took pride.

I am the Lord,^e your Holy One,

Israel’s Creator,^f your King.^g”

This is what the Lord says—

he who made a way through the sea,

a path through the mighty waters,^h

who drew outⁱ the chariots and horses,^j

the army and reinforcements together,^k

and they lay^l there, never to rise again,

extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:^m

“Forget the former things;ⁿ

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!^o

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness^p

and streams in the wasteland.^q

The wild animals^r honor me,

the jackals^s and the owls,

because I provide water^t in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland,

to give drink to my people, my chosen,

the people I formed^u for myself^v

that they may proclaim my praise.^w

“Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,

you have not wearied^x yourselves for me, Israel.^y

You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,^z

nor honored^a me with your sacrifices.^b

I have not burdened^c you with grain offerings

nor wearied you with demands^d for incense.^e

You have not bought any fragrant calamus^f for me,

or lavished on me the fat^g of your sacrifices.

But you have burdened me with your sins

and wearied^h me with your offenses.ⁱ

“I, even I, am he who blots out

your transgressions,^j for my own sake,^k

and remembers your sins^l no more.^m

Review the past for me,

let us argue the matter together;ⁿ

state the case^o for your innocence.

Your first father^p sinned;

those I sent to teach^q you rebelled^r against me.

So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;

I consigned Jacob to destruction^s

and Israel to scorn.^t