Isaiah, 43

1. And now, thus says Yahweh, he who created you, Jacob, who formed you, Israel: Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.

2. Should you pass through the waters, I shall be with you; or through rivers, they will not swallow you up. Should you walk through fire, you will not suffer, and the flame will not burn you.

3. For I am Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I have given Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

4. Since I regard you as precious, since you are honoured and I love you, I therefore give people in exchange for you, and nations in return for your life.

5. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I shall bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west.

6. To the north I shall say, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back!' Bring back my sons from far away, and my daughters from the remotest part of the earth,

7. everyone who bears my name, whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, whom I have made.

8. Bring forward the people that is blind, yet has eyes, that is deaf and yet has ears.

9. Let all the nations assemble, let the peoples gather here! Which of them has proclaimed this and revealed things to us in the past? Let them bring their witnesses to justify themselves, let others hear and say, 'It is true.'

10. You yourselves are my witnesses, declares Yahweh, and the servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that it is I. No god was formed before me, nor will be after me.

11. I, I am Yahweh, and there is no other Saviour but me.

12. I have revealed, have saved, and have proclaimed, not some foreigner among you. You are my witnesses, declares Yahweh, I am God,

13. yes, from eternity I am. No one can deliver from my hand; when I act, who can thwart me?

14. Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, I shall knock down all the prison bars, and the Chaldaeans' shouts of joy will change to lamentations.

15. I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your king.

16. Thus says Yahweh, who made a way through the sea, a path in the raging waters,

17. who led out chariot and horse together with an army of picked troops: they lay down never to rise again, they were snuffed out, put out like a wick.

18. No need to remember past events, no need to think about what was done before.

19. Look, I am doing something new, now it emerges; can you not see it? Yes, I am making a road in the desert and rivers in wastelands.

20. The wild animals will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches, for bestowing water in the desert and rivers on the wastelands for my people, my chosen one, to drink.

21. The people I have shaped for myself will broadcast my praises.

22. But, Jacob, you have not invoked me; no, Israel, you have grown weary of me.

23. You have not brought me lambs as your burnt offerings and have not honoured me with your sacrifices. I have not subjected you to cereal offering, I have not wearied you by demanding incense.

24. You have not bought expensive reed for me or sated me with the fat of your sacrifices. Instead by your sins you have trected me like a slave, you have wearied me with your crimes,

25. I, I it is who blot out your acts of revolt for my own sake and shall not call your sins to mind.

26. Remind me, and we will judge this together; state your own case and justify yourself.

27. Your first ancestor sinned, your interpreters revolted against me.

28. That is why I deposed the chief men of my sanctuary, why I put Jacob under the curse of destruction and subjected Israel to insult.