Isaiah

The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 45, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 45 New English Translation

   1 This is what the LORD says to his chosen one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold in order to subdue nations before him, and disarm kings, to open doors before him, so gates remain unclosed:
   2 "I will go before you and level mountains. Bronze doors I will shatter and iron bars I will hack through.
   3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stashed away in secret places, so you may recognize that I am the LORD, the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
   4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me.
   5 I am the LORD, I have no peer, there is no God but me. I arm you for battle, even though you do not recognize me.
   6 I do this so people will recognize from east to west that there is no God but me; I am the LORD, I have no peer.
   7 I am the one who forms light and creates darkness; the one who brings about peace and creates calamity. I am the LORD, who accomplishes all these things.
   8 O sky, rain down from above! Let the clouds send down showers of deliverance! Let the earth absorb it so salvation may grow, and deliverance may sprout up along with it. I, the LORD, create it.

The LORD Gives a Warning

   9 One who argues with his creator is in grave danger, one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, "What in the world are you doing? Your work lacks skill!"
   10 Danger awaits one who says to his father, "What in the world are you fathering?" and to his mother, "What in the world are you bringing forth?"
   11 This is what the LORD says, the Holy One of Israel, the one who formed him, concerning things to come: "How dare you question me about my children! How dare you tell me what to do with the work of my own hands!
   12 I made the earth, I created the people who live on it. It was me - my hands stretched out the sky, I give orders to all the heavenly lights.
   13 It is me - I stir him up and commission him; I will make all his ways level. He will rebuild my city; he will send my exiled people home, but not for a price or a bribe," says the LORD who commands armies.

The LORD is the Nations' Only Hope

   14 This is what the LORD says: "The profit of Egypt and the revenue of Ethiopia, along with the Sabeans, those tall men, will be brought to you and become yours. They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. They will bow down to you and pray to you: 'Truly God is with you; he has no peer; there is no other God!'"
   15 Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden, O God of Israel, deliverer!
   16 They will all be ashamed and embarrassed; those who fashion idols will all be humiliated.
   17 Israel will be delivered once and for all by the LORD; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated.
   18 For this is what the LORD says, the one who created the sky - he is the true God, the one who formed the earth and made it; he established it, he did not create it without order, he formed it to be inhabited - "I am the LORD, I have no peer.
   19 I have not spoken in secret, in some hidden place. I did not tell Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain!' I am the LORD, the one who speaks honestly, who makes reliable announcements.
   20 Gather together and come! Approach together, you refugees from the nations! Those who carry wooden idols know nothing, those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.
   21 Tell me! Present the evidence! Let them consult with one another! Who predicted this in the past? Who announced it beforehand? Was it not I, the LORD? I have no peer, there is no God but me, a God who vindicates and delivers; there is none but me.
   22 Turn to me so you can be delivered, all you who live in the earth's remote regions! For I am God, and I have no peer.
   23 I solemnly make this oath - what I say is true and reliable: 'Surely every knee will bow to me, every tongue will solemnly affirm;
   24 they will say about me, "Yes, the LORD is a powerful deliverer."'" All who are angry at him will cower before him.
   25 All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated by the LORD and will boast in him.

King James Version

   1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
   2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
   3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
   4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
   5 ¶ I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
   6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
   7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
   8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
   9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
   10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
   11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
   12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
   13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
   14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
   15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
   16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
   17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
   18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
   19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
   20 ¶ Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
   21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
   22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
   23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
   24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
   25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.