Isaiah 45

1 This is what the Lord God says to my anointed one, Cyrus, whose right hand I have held so nations will obey him. I will break the strength of kings, open doors before him, and keep cities from closing their gates.

2 I will go before you and level mountains. I will break bronze doors to pieces and burst iron bars.

3 I will give you treasures from darkness and open hidden, unseen treasures for you, so you may know that I am the Lord God, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.

4 For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel, my chosen one, I will call you by name and welcome you, though you have not known me.

5 I am the Lord God, and there is no God besides me, and you have not known me,

6 so people from the east and west may know that there is no God but me. I am the Lord God, and there is no other.

7 I prepared light and formed darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I am the Lord God who does all these things.

8 Let heaven rejoice above, and let the clouds rain righteousness. Let the earth produce and blossom with mercy, and let it produce righteousness as well. I am the Lord who created you.

9 What excellent thing have I prepared, like clay in a potter’s hands? Will the farmer plow the earth all day? Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing? You are not working; you have no hands’?

10 It would be like someone saying to his father, ‘What will you father?’ or to his mother, ‘What are you giving birth to?’

11 This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel who formed the things to come, says: Ask me about my sons and my daughters, and give me orders about the works of my hands.

12 I made the earth and humanity on it. With my hand I established heaven, and I gave commands to all the stars.

13 I raised him up to be a righteous king, and all his ways are right. He will build my city and bring my people back from captivity, without ransoms or gifts, says the Lord of armies.

14 This is what the Lord of armies says: Egypt’s labor, the Ethiopians’ merchandise, and the tall Sabeans will pass over to you and become your slaves. They will follow you bound in handcuffs, bow down to you, and pray to you, because God is among you. And they will say, ‘There is no God besides you.’

15 You are God, though we did not know it—the God of Israel, the one who rescues.

16 All who oppose him will be ashamed and confused; they will walk in shame. Islands, dedicate yourselves to me.

17 Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting rescue. They will never be ashamed or confused.

18 This is what the Lord who made heaven says, the God who created and formed the earth. He marked it out and did not make it for nothing, but formed it to be inhabited: I am, and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret or in a dark place of the earth. I did not tell Jacob’s offspring to pursue emptiness. I am — I am the Lord, speaking righteousness and proclaiming truth.

20 Gather and come. Take counsel together, you who are saved from among the nations. Those who set up wood as a carved image know nothing, and neither do those who pray to gods that cannot save.

21 If they have something to declare, let them come near so they may understand together. Who made these things known from the beginning? Then it was told to you: I am God, and there is no other besides me—a righteous God who rescues. There is no one but me.

22 Turn to me and be saved, you from the ends of the earth. I am God, and there is no other.

23 I swear by myself: righteousness will surely come from my mouth, and my words will not be turned back. Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will acknowledge God,

24 saying, ‘Righteousness and glory will come to him.’ All who separate themselves will be ashamed.

25 By the Lord all Israel’s offspring will be vindicated, and in God they will be given glory.