Isaiah
43 Says Jehovah now,—your Creator, Jacob; your Framer, Israel,—Do not be afraid, for I have undertaken to be responsible for you; I have named you, you are mine. 2 When you cross through water I am with you; through rivers, they shall not sweep you away. When you walk in fire you shall not be seared and no flame shall catch to you. 3** For I am your God Jehovah, your Savior the Holy One of Israel; I have given Egypt to get you clear, Nubia and the Sudan in your place, 4 inasmuch as I hold you precious, esteem you highly, and love you, so that I give mankind for you and folk after folk for your life. 5 Do not be afraid, because I am with you; from the east I will bring your descendants, and gather them from the west, 6 will say to the north “Give here!” and to the south “No holding out! bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name and whom I have created for my glory, have shaped and made.”
8* Bring out a blind people with eyes and deaf men that have ears. 9 All nations at once gather, and folk comes together with folk: who among them will tell this and let us hear ancient things? let them offer their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say “True!” 10* You are my witnesses, quoth Jehovah, my servants that I have chosen, in order that you may know and trust to me and understand that I am the one: no deity was shaped before me, and after me there will not be any. 11 I, I am Jehovah, and there is no savior aside from me. 12 I have told and saved and let you hear, and there was no stranger among you. And you are my witnesses, quoth Jehovah, and I am Deity, 13* even today I am that, and there is nobody that delivers out of my hands; I do a thing and who will turn it back?
14* Says your friend in need Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, On your account I have sent to Babylon and will bring them all down as fugitives, and the Chaldeans, whose shout is on the ships. 15 I am Jehovah, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.
16 Says Jehovah who gives a road in the sea and a path through a mighty water, 17* who brings out chariots and ponies, great troops and strong sinews together,—they lie down, not to rise, they are extinguished, blown out like a wick,— 18 Do not recall beginnings nor pay attention to ancient things; 19* here I am doing a new thing, it springs up now—do you not recognize it? I will also lay a road through the wilderness, thoroughfares in desert land. 20 The wild creatures, jackals and ostriches, shall pay honor to me because I have put water in the wilderness, rivers in desert land, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 a people that I built for myself to tell my praise.
22 But you have not been calling me, Jacob, because you, Israel, felt worn down over me. 23* You had not brought me a sheep for a burnt-offering, nor honored me with your sacrifices, I had not driven you to work for grain-offerings and worn you down for frankincense, 24 you had not bought me sweet flag for money nor refreshed me with the fat of your sacrifices; you had only driven me to work over your sins and worn me down with your guilt. 25** It is I, I, am canceling your crime on my own account and will not remember your sins any longer. 26 Remind me; let us bring our case against each other to trial; tell the story yourself so as to be in the right. 27 Your first father sinned, and your representatives committed crimes against me; 28 and I profaned sacred dignitaries, and gave Jacob up to proscription and Israel to insults.