Isaiah 45
New American Standard Bible
God Uses Cyrus
45 This is what the Lord says to (A)Cyrus His anointed,
Whom I have taken by the right (B)hand,
To (C)subdue nations before him
And [a]to (D)undo the weapons belt on the waist of kings;
To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:
2 “I will go before you and (E)make the [b]rough places smooth;
I will (F)shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron (G)bars.
3 I will give you the [c](H)treasures of darkness
And hidden wealth of secret places,
So that you may know that it is I,
The Lord, the God of Israel, who (I)calls you by your name.
4 For the sake of (J)Jacob My servant,
And Israel My chosen one,
I have also (K)called you by your name;
I have given you a title of honor
Though you have (L)not known Me.
5 I am the Lord, and (M)there is no one else;
(N)There is no God except Me.
I will (O)[d]arm you, though you have not known Me,
6 So that (P)people may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
That there is (Q)no one besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no one else,
7 The One (R)forming light and (S)creating darkness,
Causing [e]well-being and (T)creating disaster;
I am the Lord who does all these things.
God’s Supreme Power
8 “(U)Drip down, heavens, from above,
And let the clouds pour down righteousness;
Let the (V)earth open up and salvation bear fruit,
(W)And righteousness sprout with it.
I, the Lord, have created it.
9 “Woe to the one who (X)quarrels with [f]his Maker—
A piece of pottery [g]among the other earthenware pottery pieces!
Will the (Y)clay say to the [h]potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you fathering?’
Or to a woman, ‘To what are you [i]giving birth?’”
11 This is what the (Z)Lord says, the Holy One of Israel and [j]his (AA)Maker:
“[k](AB)Ask Me about the things to come [l]concerning My (AC)sons,
And you shall commit to Me (AD)the work of My hands.
12 It is I who (AE)made the earth, and created mankind upon it.
I (AF)stretched out the heavens with My hands,
And I [m]ordained (AG)all their [n]lights.
13 I have stirred him in (AH)righteousness,
And I will (AI)make all his ways smooth.
He will (AJ)build My city and let My exiles go (AK)free,
Without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of armies.
14 This is what the Lord says:
“The [o]products of (AL)Egypt and the merchandise of [p](AM)Cush
And the Sabeans, men of stature,
Will (AN)come over to you and will be yours;
They will walk behind you, they will come over in (AO)chains
And will (AP)bow down to you;
They will plead with you:
‘[q](AQ)God certainly is [r]with you, and (AR)there is no one else,
No other God.’”
15 Truly, You are a God who (AS)hides Himself,
God of Israel, (AT)Savior!
16 They will be (AU)put to shame and even humiliated, all of them;
The (AV)manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation.
17 Israel has been saved by the Lord
With an (AW)everlasting salvation;
You (AX)will not be put to shame or humiliated
To all eternity.
18 For this is what the Lord says, He who (AY)created the heavens (He is the God who (AZ)formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it [s]as a (BA)waste place, but formed it to be (BB)inhabited):
“I am the Lord, and (BC)there is no one else.
19 (BD)I have not spoken in secret,
In [t]some dark land;
I did not say to the [u](BE)offspring of Jacob,
‘(BF)Seek Me in [v]a wasteland’;
I, the Lord, (BG)speak righteousness,
(BH)Declaring things that are right.
20 “(BI)Gather yourselves and come;
Come together, you survivors of the nations!
(BJ)They have no knowledge,
Who (BK)carry around [w]their wooden idol
And (BL)pray to a god who cannot save.
21 (BM)Declare and present your case;
Indeed, let them consult together.
(BN)Who has announced this long ago?
Who has long since declared it?
Is it not I, the Lord?
And there is (BO)no other God besides Me,
A righteous God and a (BP)Savior;
There is none except Me.
22 (BQ)Turn to Me and (BR)be saved, all the ends of the earth;
For I am God, and there is no other.
23 (BS)I have sworn by Myself;
The (BT)word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness
And will not turn back,
That to Me (BU)every knee will bow, every tongue will (BV)swear allegiance.
24 They will say of Me, ‘Only (BW)in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’
People will come to Him,
And (BX)all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
Will be (BY)justified and will (BZ)boast.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 45:1 Lit I will loose
- Isaiah 45:2 Another reading is mountains
- Isaiah 45:3 Or hoarded treasures
- Isaiah 45:5 Or embrace
- Isaiah 45:7 Or peace
- Isaiah 45:9 Lit He who formed him
- Isaiah 45:9 Lit with
- Isaiah 45:9 Lit he who formed him
- Isaiah 45:10 Lit in labor pains with
- Isaiah 45:11 Lit He who formed him
- Isaiah 45:11 Or Will you ask
- Isaiah 45:11 Or upon
- Isaiah 45:12 Or commanded
- Isaiah 45:12 Lit host; i.e., sun, stars, etc.
- Isaiah 45:14 Lit labor
- Isaiah 45:14 Or Ethiopia
- Isaiah 45:14 Or God is with you alone
- Isaiah 45:14 Or in
- Isaiah 45:18 LXX in vain
- Isaiah 45:19 Lit a place of a land of darkness
- Isaiah 45:19 Lit seed
- Isaiah 45:19 Or vain
- Isaiah 45:20 Lit the wood of their carved image
Isaiah 45
New Living Translation
Cyrus, the Lord’s Chosen One
45 This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one,
whose right hand he will empower.
Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear.
Their fortress gates will be opened,
never to shut again.
2 This is what the Lord says:
“I will go before you, Cyrus,
and level the mountains.[a]
I will smash down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
3 And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—
secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.
4 “And why have I called you for this work?
Why did I call you by name when you did not know me?
It is for the sake of Jacob my servant,
Israel my chosen one.
5 I am the Lord;
there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle,
though you don’t even know me,
6 so all the world from east to west
will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I create the light and make the darkness.
I send good times and bad times.
I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.
8 “Open up, O heavens,
and pour out your righteousness.
Let the earth open wide
so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together.
I, the Lord, created them.
9 “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
‘How clumsy can you be?’
10 How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father,
‘Why was I born?’
or if it said to its mother,
‘Why did you make me this way?’”
11 This is what the Lord says—
the Holy One of Israel and your Creator:
“Do you question what I do for my children?
Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?
12 I am the one who made the earth
and created people to live on it.
With my hands I stretched out the heavens.
All the stars are at my command.
13 I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose,
and I will guide his actions.
He will restore my city and free my captive people—
without seeking a reward!
I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
Future Conversion of Gentiles
14 This is what the Lord says:
“You will rule the Egyptians,
the Ethiopians,[b] and the Sabeans.
They will come to you with all their merchandise,
and it will all be yours.
They will follow you as prisoners in chains.
They will fall to their knees in front of you and say,
‘God is with you, and he is the only God.
There is no other.’”
15 Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior,
you work in mysterious ways.
16 All craftsmen who make idols will be humiliated.
They will all be disgraced together.
17 But the Lord will save the people of Israel
with eternal salvation.
Throughout everlasting ages,
they will never again be humiliated and disgraced.
18 For the Lord is God,
and he created the heavens and earth
and put everything in place.
He made the world to be lived in,
not to be a place of empty chaos.
“I am the Lord,” he says,
“and there is no other.
19 I publicly proclaim bold promises.
I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner.
I would not have told the people of Israel[c] to seek me
if I could not be found.
I, the Lord, speak only what is true
and declare only what is right.
20 “Gather together and come,
you fugitives from surrounding nations.
What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols
and pray to gods that cannot save!
21 Consult together, argue your case.
Get together and decide what to say.
Who made these things known so long ago?
What idol ever told you they would happen?
Was it not I, the Lord?
For there is no other God but me,
a righteous God and Savior.
There is none but me.
22 Let all the world look to me for salvation!
For I am God; there is no other.
23 I have sworn by my own name;
I have spoken the truth,
and I will never go back on my word:
Every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.[d]”
24 The people will declare,
“The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength.”
And all who were angry with him
will come to him and be ashamed.
25 In the Lord all the generations of Israel will be justified,
and in him they will boast.
Isaiah 45
The Voice
45 This is what the Eternal One says to His chosen agent, Cyrus the Persian.
God has a special mission for Cyrus, the Persian emperor: to lead the world and free His exiled people. The Scripture is clear: God, not kings, directs history. Kings—and sometimes their subjects—often need to be reminded of that. The Eternal, the one True God, stands above and behind human history, directing and orchestrating its events.
Eternal One: Not by his hand alone, but with his in Mine,
nations are vanquished, their leaders conquered;
Doors and gates open without a fight
and will not close.
2 (to Cyrus) I will go ahead of you and smooth the way, lower the heights,
break down bronze doors, and cut through iron bars.
3 I will give you hidden treasures
and wealth tucked away in secret places;
I will reveal them to you.
Then you will know that I am
the Eternal, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4 For the sake of My servant Jacob, My chosen people Israel,
I have called you by name, made you who you are,
And bestowed an honorable title on you, even though you don’t know Me.
5 I am the Eternal One; there is no other God but Me,
and even though you don’t know Me, I am preparing you for victory.
6 I am doing all this so that people all around the world
may know that I alone am the Eternal, the only God.
7 I form light and create darkness;
I make what is good, happy, and healthy, and I create woe.
I, the Eternal One, make them one and all.
8 Skies above, open up and let the clouds rain down righteousness!
Let the earth below sprout triumph and justice.
For I, the Eternal, have created them.
9 How bad it will be for anyone who disputes with the very One who created him!
After all, a human being is nothing more than one clay pot among many.
Imagine the clay saying to the potter, “What do you think you’re doing?”
or “You don’t have the hands for this.”
10 It’s as idiotic as asking a mother or father,
“What are you birthing or begetting?”
11 So the Eternal One, who is the Holy One and Maker of Israel, says,
Eternal One: Are you really going to question Me about what will happen to My children,
or lecture Me about what I should do with the ones I made with My own hands?
12 It is I who made the very ground on which you stand,
I who shaped the human beings who walk around on it.
I pulled the sky and the heavens taut with My own hands,
and organized the army of stars that march across the night sky.
13 So it was perfectly right for me to raise up Cyrus;
I will make his road ahead straight and level,
So that he will rebuild My chosen place, My city Jerusalem,
and set My exiled people free
Without exacting a price or seeking a bribe.
So says the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.
14 Eternal One: I, the Eternal One, say to you things will change; the wealthy and strong
of your world—Egyptians, Cushites, Sabeans—will come under your control.
Their goods and services, their strongest warriors, will be yours,
deferring to you, as they follow in chains, saying,
“God is with you. There is no other God but yours.”
15 Cyrus: You have kept yourself hidden from others,
but You are indeed God, who saved Israel in the face of great challenges.
16 Those who worshiped others will be humiliated.
Those who craft idols will be embarrassed by their folly.
17 By contrast, Israel can stand tall. The Eternal has given them
a salvation that will never die, and they will never be embarrassed or ashamed.
18 Indeed, He who created the universe—heavens and earth—gave it form and shape.
The Eternal alone set it all in motion;
He didn’t make it a disorganized wasteland but made it a beautiful and comfortable home.
Eternal One: I am the Eternal One, and there is no other god who exists.
19 I didn’t whisper in secret or mumble in the darkness;
I didn’t say to Jacob’s children:
“Look around the desert and try to find Me.”
No, I am the Eternal One. I will speak clearly what is right and true.
20 Come, come. Gather around, all who survived among the nations.
They have no idea what a real God is
As they coddle their wooden idols,
and pray to worthless images that cannot save them.
21 Go ahead, talk among yourselves. Present your case.
Now, who declared what would happen long ago?
Who predicted how these events would turn out at this time?
Was it not I, the Eternal One? There is no other God but Me.
I alone am the righteous God and Savior. There is no other.
22 So turn your back on those idols and your face to Me.
I will save you, wherever you are, to the ends of the earth,
For I am God. There is none other.
23 I make this solemn vow; I have spoken a word—
faithful and true—and it will not return; it will be done.
My words have wings; they will be accomplished;
every knee will bow down to Me.
Every tongue will swear allegiance to Me.[a]
24 They will say of Me, “Only by the Eternal One shall I see things through.
Only by God shall I go with integrity and strength through life.”
Those who know that God is the source of life, integrity, and strength live lives marked by confidence and a calm assurance.
Now all those who burned with anger against God
will come to Him and be shamed.
25 Through the Eternal, all the descendants of Israel
will be vindicated and made glorious within the world.
Footnotes
Isaías 45
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Ciro, libertador de Israel
45 Así dice el Señor a Ciro, Su ungido(A),
A quien he tomado por la diestra(B),
Para someter ante él(C) naciones,
Y para desatar[a](D) lomos de reyes,
Para abrir ante él las puertas,
Para que no queden cerradas las entradas:
2 «Yo iré delante de ti y allanaré los lugares escabrosos[b](E);
Romperé las puertas de bronce y haré pedazos sus barras(F) de hierro(G).
3 Te daré los tesoros(H) ocultos[c],
Y las riquezas de los lugares secretos,
Para que sepas que soy Yo,
El Señor, Dios de Israel, el que te llama por tu nombre(I).
4 Por amor a Mi siervo Jacob(J)
Y a Israel Mi escogido,
Te he llamado por tu nombre(K);
Te he honrado,
Aunque no me conocías(L).
5 Yo soy el Señor, y no hay ningún otro(M);
Fuera de Mí no hay Dios(N).
Yo te fortaleceré[d](O), aunque no me has conocido,
6 Para que se sepa que desde el nacimiento del sol hasta donde se pone(P),
No hay ninguno fuera de Mí.
Yo soy el Señor, y no hay otro(Q).
7 Yo soy el que forma la luz y crea las tinieblas(R),
El que causa bienestar[e] y crea calamidades(S),
Yo, el Señor, es el que hace todo esto.
El poder supremo de Dios
8 »Destilen, oh cielos, desde lo alto(T),
Y derramen justicia las nubes;
ábrase la tierra(U) y dé fruto la salvación,
Y brote la justicia con ella(V).
Yo, el Señor, lo he creado.
9 »¡Ay del que contiende con su Hacedor[f](W)!
¡El tiesto entre[g] los tiestos de tierra!
¿Dirá el barro al alfarero(X): “Qué haces”?
¿O tu obra dirá: “Él no tiene manos”?
10 ¡Ay de aquel que diga al padre: “¿Qué engendras?”.
O a la mujer: “¿Qué das a luz?[h]”».
11 Así dice el Señor(Y), el Santo de Israel y su Hacedor[i](Z):
«Pregúntenme[j](AA) acerca de las cosas venideras tocante a Mis hijos(AB),
Y dejarán a Mi cuidado la obra de Mis manos(AC).
12 Yo hice la tierra y creé al hombre sobre ella(AD).
Yo extendí los cielos(AE) con Mis manos,
Y di órdenes a todo su ejército(AF).
13 Yo lo he despertado en justicia(AG),
Y todos sus caminos allanaré(AH).
Él edificará Mi ciudad(AI) y dejará libres a Mis desterrados
Sin pago ni recompensa(AJ)», dice el Señor de los ejércitos.
14 Así dice el Señor:
«Los productos[k] de Egipto(AK), la mercadería de Cus(AL)
Y los sabeos, hombres de gran estatura,
Pasarán a ti y tuyos serán(AM).
Detrás de ti caminarán, pasarán encadenados(AN)
Y ante ti se inclinarán(AO).
Te suplicarán:
“Ciertamente Dios está contigo[l](AP) y no hay ningún otro,
Ningún otro dios(AQ)”».
15 En verdad, Tú eres un Dios que te ocultas(AR),
¡oh Dios de Israel, Salvador(AS)!
16 Avergonzados y aun humillados serán todos ellos;
Los fabricantes de ídolos[m] a una se irán humillados(AT).
17 Israel ha sido salvado por el Señor
Con salvación eterna(AU).
Ustedes no serán avergonzados ni humillados(AV)
Por toda la eternidad.
18 Porque así dice el Señor, que creó los cielos(AW);
(El Dios que formó la tierra y la hizo(AX),
La estableció y no la hizo un lugar desolado[n](AY),
Sino que la formó para ser habitada(AZ)):
«Yo soy el Señor y no hay ningún otro(BA).
19 No he hablado en secreto(BB),
En alguna tierra oscura[o];
No dije a la descendencia[p] de Jacob(BC):
“Búsquenme(BD) en lugar desolado[q]”.
Yo, el Señor, hablo justicia(BE)
Y declaro lo que es recto(BF).
El Dios verdadero y los ídolos
20 »Reúnanse y vengan;
Juntos acérquense, fugitivos de las naciones(BG).
No tienen conocimiento(BH)
Los que llevan su ídolo de madera[r](BI)
Y suplican a un dios que no puede salvar(BJ).
21 Declaren y presenten su caso;
Sí, que deliberen juntos(BK).
¿Quién ha anunciado esto desde la antigüedad(BL)
Y lo ha declarado desde entonces?
¿No soy Yo, el Señor?
No hay más Dios que Yo(BM),
Un Dios justo y salvador(BN);
No hay ninguno fuera de Mí.
22 Vuélvanse a Mí(BO) y sean salvos, todos los términos de la tierra(BP);
Porque Yo soy Dios, y no hay ningún otro.
23 Por Mí mismo he jurado(BQ),
Ha salido de Mi boca en justicia(BR)
Una palabra que no será revocada[s]:
Que ante Mí se doblará toda rodilla(BS), y toda lengua jurará lealtad(BT).
24 De Mí dirán: “Solo en el Señor hay justicia y fuerza(BU)”.
A Él vendrán y serán avergonzados
Todos los que contra Él se enojaron(BV).
25 En el Señor será justificada y se gloriará(BW)
Toda la descendencia[t] de Israel».
Footnotes
- Isaías 45:1 Lit. y desataré.
- Isaías 45:2 Otra posible lectura es: los montes.
- Isaías 45:3 Lit. de la oscuridad.
- Isaías 45:5 O armaré.
- Isaías 45:7 O paz.
- Isaías 45:9 Lit. Formador.
- Isaías 45:9 Lit. con.
- Isaías 45:10 Lit. ¿De qué tienes dolores de parto?
- Isaías 45:11 Lit. Formador.
- Isaías 45:11 O ¿Me preguntarán.
- Isaías 45:14 Lit. El trabajo.
- Isaías 45:14 O Solo Dios está en ti.
- Isaías 45:16 O imágenes talladas.
- Isaías 45:18 O no la creó en vano.
- Isaías 45:19 Lit. en un lugar de una tierra de tinieblas.
- Isaías 45:19 Lit. simiente.
- Isaías 45:19 O vano.
- Isaías 45:20 Lit. la madera de su imagen tallada.
- Isaías 45:23 Lit. y no volverá.
- Isaías 45:25 Lit. simiente.
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