1This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to bring down nations before him: "I will loosen the belts of kings. I will open the double doors before him, and the gates will not be shut."
2"I will go before you and make the rough places level. I will break the gates of brass in pieces, and cut through the bars of iron."
3"I will give you the treasures kept in darkness, and riches hidden in secret places. Then you will know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel."
4"For the sake of Jacob my servant, and Israel my chosen one, I have called you by your name. I have given you a name of honour, though you have not known me."
5"I am the LORD, and there is no other. There is no God besides me. I made you strong, though you have not known me."
6"So people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other."
7"I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil. I the LORD do all these things."
8"Drop down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open, and let them bring out salvation, and let righteousness spring up with it. I the LORD have created it."
9How terrible for the one who fights against his Maker! Let the broken piece of pottery fight with the other broken pieces of the earth. Shall the clay say to the one who shapes it, "What are you making?" Shall your work say, "He has no hands"?
10How terrible for the one who says to his father, "What have you fathered?" or to the woman, "What have you given birth to?"
11This is what the LORD says, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "Ask me about the things to come concerning my sons, and give me orders about the work of my hands."
12"I have made the earth, and created man upon it. I, with my own hands, have stretched out the heavens, and I have commanded all their host."
13"I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will build my city, and he will let my captives go free, not for a price and not for a reward," says the LORD of hosts.
14This is what the LORD says: "The work of Egypt, and the goods of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, tall men, will come over to you, and they will be yours. They will walk behind you. They will come over in chains. They will bow down to you, and they will beg you, saying, 'Surely God is in you, and there is no other; there is no God.'"
15Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.
16They will be ashamed, and put to shame, all of them. The makers of idols will go away in shame together.
17But Israel will be saved in the LORD with a salvation that lasts for ever. You will not be ashamed or put to shame, for ever and ever.
18For this is what the LORD says, who created the heavens, God himself who formed the earth and made it. He set it firm. He did not create it empty; he formed it to be lived in. "I am the LORD, and there is no other."
19"I have not spoken in secret, in some dark place of the earth. I did not say to the children of Jacob, 'Seek me for nothing.' I the LORD speak righteousness. I tell what is right."
20"Gather yourselves and come. Draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, those who carry about their wooden carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save."
21"Tell what you know, and bring it forward. Yes, let them talk it over together. Who declared this long ago? Who told it from that time? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no God besides me, a just God and a Saviour. There is no one besides me."
22"Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other."
23"I have sworn by myself. The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and it will not come back: to me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear."
24Surely, one will say, "In the LORD I have righteousness and strength." People will come to him, and all who are angry against him will be ashamed.
25In the LORD all the children of Israel will be counted righteous, and they will glory.