Isaiah

The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 43, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 43 New English Translation

The LORD Will Rescue His People

   1 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!

The LORD Declares His Sovereignty

   8 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?"

The LORD Will Do Something New

   14 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 desert and paths in the wilderness.
   20 The wild animals of the desert honor me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the desert and streams in the wilderness, to quench the thirst of my chosen people,
   21 the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise me."

The LORD Rebukes His People

   22 "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."

King James Version

   1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
   2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
   3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
   4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
   5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
   6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
   7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
   8 ¶ Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
   9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
   10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
   11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
   12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
   13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
   14 ¶ Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
   15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
   16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
   17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
   18 ¶ Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
   19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
   20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
   21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
   22 ¶ But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.
   23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.
   24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.
   25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
   26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
   27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
   28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.