Isaiah 43

The Savior of Israel

1But 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. +

2When 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. +

3For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. +

4Since 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. +

5Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; +

6I 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; +

7Even 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. +

8Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. +

9Let 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. +

10Ye 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.

11I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. +

12I 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. +

13Yea, 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? +

The LORD’s Promise of Victory

14Thus 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. +

15I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. +

16Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; +

17Which 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. +

18Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. +

19Behold, 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. +

20The 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. +

21This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. +

22But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. +

23Thou 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. +

24Thou 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. +

25I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. +

26Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. +

27Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.

28Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. +