18 For this is what the Lord says—
he who created the heavens,
    he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,(A)
    he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,(B)
    but formed it to be inhabited(C)
he says:
“I am the Lord,
    and there is no other.(D)
19 I have not spoken in secret,(E)
    from somewhere in a land of darkness;(F)
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,(G)
    ‘Seek(H) me in vain.’
I, the Lord, speak the truth;
    I declare what is right.(I)

20 “Gather together(J) and come;
    assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant(K) are those who carry(L) about idols of wood,
    who pray to gods that cannot save.(M)
21 Declare what is to be, present it—
    let them take counsel together.
Who foretold(N) this long ago,
    who declared it from the distant past?(O)
Was it not I, the Lord?
    And there is no God apart from me,(P)
a righteous God(Q) and a Savior;(R)
    there is none but me.

22 “Turn(S) to me and be saved,(T)
    all you ends of the earth;(U)
    for I am God, and there is no other.(V)
23 By myself I have sworn,(W)
    my mouth has uttered in all integrity(X)
    a word that will not be revoked:(Y)
Before me every knee will bow;(Z)
    by me every tongue will swear.(AA)
24 They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
    are deliverance(AB) and strength.(AC)’”
All who have raged against him
    will come to him and be put to shame.(AD)
25 But all the descendants(AE) of Israel
    will find deliverance(AF) in the Lord
    and will make their boast in him.(AG)

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