1But now this is what the LORD says, the one who created you, Jacob, the one who formed you, Israel: "Do not be afraid. I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine."
2"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not set you alight."
3"For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I gave Egypt as the price to set you free, and Ethiopia and Seba in your place."
4"Because you were precious in my sight, you have been honoured, and I have loved you. So I will give other men in exchange for you, and other peoples in exchange for your life."
5"Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east, and gather you from the west."
6"I will say to the north, 'Give them up,' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth."
7"Bring everyone who is called by my name. I created him for my glory. I formed him; yes, I made him."
8"Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears."
9"Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples come together. Who among them can tell this, and show us the things that happened before? Let them bring their witnesses, so they may be proved right. Or let them listen and say, 'It is true.'"
10"You are my witnesses," says the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen. So you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me no God was formed, and there will be none after me."
11"I, I myself, am the LORD, and besides me there is no saviour."
12"I told you, and I saved you, and I made it known. There was no strange god among you. So you are my witnesses," says the LORD, "that I am God."
13"Yes, before the day was, I am he. There is no one who can rescue anyone out of my hand. I will act, and who can stop it?"
14This is what the LORD says, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose shouting is in the ships."
15"I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King."
16This is what the LORD says, who makes a way in the sea, and a path through the mighty waters,
17who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and its strength: "They will lie down together; they will not rise. They are put out; they are snuffed out like a wick."
18"Do not remember the things that happened before, and do not think about the things of long ago."
19"Look, I will do a new thing. Now it will spring up. Will you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."
20"The wild animals of the field will 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 ones."
21"This people I have formed for myself; they will speak out my praise."
22"But you have not called on me, Jacob. You have grown tired of me, Israel."
23"You have not brought me the small animals for your burnt offerings, and you have not honoured me with your sacrifices. I have not made you serve with an offering, or worn you out with incense."
24"You have bought me no sweet cane with money, and you have not filled me with the fat of your sacrifices. Instead you have made me serve with your sins; you have worn me out with your wrongdoing."
25"I, I myself, am the one who wipes out your rebellion, for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."
26"Remind me. Let us argue the case together. Tell your side, so that you may be proved right."
27"Your first father sinned, and your teachers rebelled against me."
28"So I have treated the princes of the sanctuary as unholy. I have given Jacob over to the curse, and Israel to insults."