Isaiah 43

1 Now this is what the Lord God says—the one who made you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel: Do not be afraid, because I have ransomed you. I called you by your name; you are mine.

2 If you pass through water, I am with you, and rivers will not overwhelm you. If you pass through fire, you will not burn, and the flame will not consume you.

3 I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel who saves you. I gave Egypt, Ethiopia, and Syene in exchange for you.

4 You became precious and glorious before me, and I loved you. I will give many people in exchange for you and rulers in exchange for your life.

5 Do not fear, because I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.

6 I will tell the north, ‘Bring them,’ and the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from distant land and my daughters from the ends of the earth,

7 everyone called by my name. I prepared him for my glory, formed him, and made him.

8 I brought out the blind people whose eyes are alike blind, and the deaf people who have ears.

9 Every nation has gathered, and rulers will be gathered from among them. Who will announce these things or tell you the things from the beginning? Let them bring their witnesses, be vindicated, and speak the truth.

10 Be my witnesses—and I too am a witness, says the Lord God, along with my servant whom I chose, so that you may know, believe, and understand that I am he. No other God existed before me, and none will exist after me.

11 I am God, and besides me there is no one who saves.

12 I announced and saved; I reproached, and no foreign god was among you. You are my witnesses, and I am a witness, says the Lord God.

13 I was here from the beginning. No one can rescue from my hands. I will act, and who will turn it back?

14 This is what the Lord God, the one who ransoms you, the Holy One of Israel, says: For your sake I will send to Babylon, stir up everyone who flees, and bind the Chaldeans in ships.

15 I am the Lord God, your Holy One, the one who appointed Israel as your king.

16 This is what the Lord says—the one who makes a way in the sea and a path through mighty water,

17 He brought out chariots, horses, and a powerful multitude. But they lay down and will not rise; they were extinguished like a quenched wick.

18 Do not remember the former things or consider the ancient things.

19 Look, I will do new things that are about to spring up, and you will know them. I will make a road in the wilderness and rivers in dry land.

20 The wild animals, the Sirens, and the young of ostriches will bless me, because I gave water in the wilderness and rivers in dry land to give my chosen people a drink,

21 the people I preserved to announce my praises.

22 I did not call you only now, Jacob, or cause you to grow weary, Israel.

23 You did not bring me sheep for your whole burnt offering or give me glory with your sacrifices. I did not weary you with frankincense.

24 You did not buy incense for me with silver, and I did not desire your sacrifices’ fat. Instead, I stood before you amid your sins and wrongdoings.

25 I am — I am the one who wipes away your lawless deeds, and I will not remember them.

26 But remember, and let us argue the case together. You speak out your lawless deeds first, so that you may be upheld as right.

27 Your ancestors first, and their rulers, acted lawlessly against me.

28 The rulers defiled my holy places, so I handed Jacob over to destruction and Israel to disgrace.