Isaiah 43

1 The Lord Will Rescue His People Now, this is what the LORD says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel:“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you.

3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you.

4 Since you are precious and special in my sight, and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life.

5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. From the east I will bring your descendants; from the west I will gather you.

6 I will say to the north,‘Hand them over!’ and to the south,‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

7 everyone who belongs to me, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed– yes, whom I made!

8 The Lord Declares His Sovereignty Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, those who are deaf, even though they have ears!

9 All nations gather together, the peoples assemble. Who among them announced this? Who predicted earlier events for us? Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right; let them listen and affirm,‘It is true.’

10 You are my witnesses,” says the LORD,“my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe in me, and understand that I am he. No god was formed before me, and none will outlive me.

11 I, I am the LORD, and there is no deliverer besides me.

12 I decreed and delivered and proclaimed, and there was no other god among you. You are my witnesses,” says the LORD,“that I am God.

13 From this day forward I am he; no one can deliver from my power; I will act, and who can prevent it?”

14 The Lord Will Do Something New This is what the LORD says, your protector, the Holy One of Israel:“For your sake I send to Babylon and make them all fugitives, turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the one who created Israel, your king.”

16 This is what the LORD says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters,

17 the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick:

18 “Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events.

19 “Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the wilderness and paths in the wastelands.

20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the wilderness and streams in the wastelands, to quench the thirst of my chosen people,

21 the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise me.”

22 The Lord Rebukes His People“But you did not call for me, O Jacob; you did not long for me, O Israel.

23 You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings; you did not honor me with your sacrifices. I did not burden you with offerings; I did not make you weary by demanding incense.

24 You did not buy me aromatic reeds; you did not present to me the fat of your sacrifices. Yet you burdened me with your sins; you made me weary with your evil deeds.

25 I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.

26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate! You, prove to me that you are right!

27 The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me.

28 So I defiled your holy princes, and handed Jacob over to destruction, and subjected Israel to humiliating abuse.”