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Isaiah 41:21-43:13
English Standard Version
Isaiah 41:21-43:13
English Standard Version
The Futility of Idols
21 Set forth your case, says the Lord;
bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.
22 Let them bring them, and (A)tell us
what is to happen.
Tell us the former things, what they are,
that we may consider them,
that we may know their outcome;
or declare to us the things to come.
23 (B)Tell us what is to come hereafter,
that we may know that you are gods;
(C)do good, or do harm,
that we may be dismayed and terrified.[a]
24 Behold, (D)you are nothing,
and your work is less than nothing;
an abomination is he who chooses you.
25 (E)I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,
(F)from the rising of the sun, (G)and he shall call upon my name;
he shall trample on rulers as on mortar,
as the potter treads clay.
26 (H)Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know,
and beforehand, that we might say, “He is right”?
There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed,
none who heard your words.
27 (I)I was the first to say[b] to Zion, “Behold, here they are!”
and (J)I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news.
28 (K)But when I look, there is no one;
among these there is no counselor
who, when I ask, gives an answer.
29 (L)Behold, they are all a delusion;
their works are nothing;
their metal images are empty wind.
The Lord's Chosen Servant
42 (M)Behold (N)my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, (O)in whom my soul delights;
(P)I have put my Spirit upon him;
(Q)he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
3 (R)a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
(S)he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged[c]
till he has established justice in the earth;
and (T)the coastlands wait for his law.
5 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens (U)and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
(V)who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 “I am the Lord; (W)I have called you[d] in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you (X)as a covenant for the people,
(Y)a light for the nations,
7 (Z)to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
(AA)from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the Lord; that is my name;
(AB)my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,
(AC)and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.”
Sing to the Lord a New Song
10 (AD)Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth,
(AE)you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it,
(AF)the coastlands and their inhabitants.
11 Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice,
the villages that (AG)Kedar inhabits;
let the habitants of (AH)Sela sing for joy,
let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord,
and declare his praise in (AI)the coastlands.
13 (AJ)The Lord goes out like a mighty man,
like a man of war (AK)he stirs up his zeal;
he cries out, (AL)he shouts aloud,
he shows himself mighty against his foes.
14 For a long time I have held my peace;
I have kept still and restrained myself;
now I will cry out (AM)like a woman in labor;
I will gasp and pant.
15 (AN)I will lay waste mountains and hills,
and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn the rivers into islands,[e]
and dry up the pools.
16 (AO)And I will lead the blind
in a way that they do not know,
in paths that they have not known
I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
(AP)the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I do,
and I do not forsake them.
17 (AQ)They are turned back and utterly put to shame,
who trust in carved idols,
who say to metal images,
“You are our gods.”
Israel's Failure to Hear and See
18 Hear, you deaf,
and look, you blind, that you may see!
19 Who is blind but my servant,
or deaf as my messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as my dedicated one,[f]
or blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 (AR)He sees many things, but does not observe them;
(AS)his ears are open, but he does not hear.
21 The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake,
to magnify his law and make it glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and looted;
they are all of them trapped in holes
(AT)and hidden in prisons;
they have become plunder with none to rescue,
spoil with none to say, “Restore!”
23 Who among you will give ear to this,
will attend and listen for the time to come?
24 Who gave up Jacob to the looter,
and Israel to the plunderers?
Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,
in whose ways they would not walk,
and whose law they would not obey?
25 So he poured on him the heat of his anger
and the might of battle;
it set him on fire all around, (AU)but he did not understand;
it burned him up, (AV)but he did not take it to heart.
Israel's Only Savior
43 But now thus says the Lord,
(AW)he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
(AX)“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
(AY)I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 (AZ)When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
(BA)when you walk through fire (BB)you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For (BC)I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
(BD)I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and (BE)Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5 (BF)Fear not, for I am with you;
(BG)I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring (BH)my sons from afar
and (BI)my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
8 Bring out (BJ)the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!
9 (BK)All the nations gather together,
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
and let them hear and say, It is true.
10 (BL)“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and (BM)my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
(BN)Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
11 (BO)I, I am the Lord,
and besides me there is no savior.
12 I declared and saved and proclaimed,
when there was no strange god among you;
and (BP)you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.
13 Also (BQ)henceforth I am he;
there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work, and who can turn it back?”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:23 Or that we may both be dismayed and see
- Isaiah 41:27 Or Formerly I said
- Isaiah 42:4 Or bruised
- Isaiah 42:6 The Hebrew for you is singular; four times in this verse
- Isaiah 42:15 Or into coastlands
- Isaiah 42:19 Or as the one at peace with me
Isaiah 41:21-43:13
New International Version
Isaiah 41:21-43:13
New International Version
21 “Present your case,(A)” says the Lord.
“Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.(B)
22 “Tell us, you idols,
what is going to happen.(C)
Tell us what the former things(D) were,
so that we may consider them
and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,(E)
23 tell us what the future holds,
so we may know(F) that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,(G)
so that we will be dismayed(H) and filled with fear.
24 But you are less than nothing(I)
and your works are utterly worthless;(J)
whoever chooses you is detestable.(K)
25 “I have stirred(L) up one from the north,(M) and he comes—
one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads(N) on rulers as if they were mortar,
as if he were a potter treading the clay.
26 Who told of this from the beginning,(O) so we could know,
or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’?
No one told of this,
no one foretold(P) it,
no one heard any words(Q) from you.
27 I was the first to tell(R) Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’
I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.(S)
28 I look but there is no one(T)—
no one among the gods to give counsel,(U)
no one to give answer(V) when I ask them.
29 See, they are all false!
Their deeds amount to nothing;(W)
their images(X) are but wind(Y) and confusion.
The Servant of the Lord
42 “Here is my servant,(Z) whom I uphold,
my chosen one(AA) in whom I delight;(AB)
I will put my Spirit(AC) on him,
and he will bring justice(AD) to the nations.(AE)
2 He will not shout or cry out,(AF)
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed(AG) he will not break,(AH)
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.(AI)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;(AJ)
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice(AK) on earth.
In his teaching(AL) the islands(AM) will put their hope.”(AN)
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,(AO) who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth(AP) with all that springs from it,(AQ)
who gives breath(AR) to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called(AS) you in righteousness;(AT)
I will take hold of your hand.(AU)
I will keep(AV) you and will make you
to be a covenant(AW) for the people
and a light(AX) for the Gentiles,(AY)
7 to open eyes that are blind,(AZ)
to free(BA) captives from prison(BB)
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.(BC)
8 “I am the Lord;(BD) that is my name!(BE)
I will not yield my glory to another(BF)
or my praise to idols.(BG)
9 See, the former things(BH) have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce(BI) them to you.”
Song of Praise to the Lord
10 Sing(BJ) to the Lord a new song,(BK)
his praise(BL) from the ends of the earth,(BM)
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,(BN)
you islands,(BO) and all who live in them.
11 Let the wilderness(BP) and its towns raise their voices;
let the settlements where Kedar(BQ) lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela(BR) sing for joy;
let them shout from the mountaintops.(BS)
12 Let them give glory(BT) to the Lord
and proclaim his praise(BU) in the islands.(BV)
13 The Lord will march out like a champion,(BW)
like a warrior(BX) he will stir up his zeal;(BY)
with a shout(BZ) he will raise the battle cry
and will triumph over his enemies.(CA)
14 “For a long time I have kept silent,(CB)
I have been quiet and held myself back.(CC)
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
I cry out, I gasp and pant.(CD)
15 I will lay waste(CE) the mountains(CF) and hills
and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
and dry up(CG) the pools.
16 I will lead(CH) the blind(CI) by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light(CJ) before them
and make the rough places smooth.(CK)
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake(CL) them.
17 But those who trust in idols,
who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’(CM)
will be turned back in utter shame.(CN)
Israel Blind and Deaf
18 “Hear, you deaf;(CO)
look, you blind, and see!
19 Who is blind(CP) but my servant,(CQ)
and deaf like the messenger(CR) I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant(CS) with me,
blind like the servant of the Lord?
20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
your ears are open, but you do not listen.”(CT)
21 It pleased the Lord
for the sake(CU) of his righteousness
to make his law(CV) great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered(CW) and looted,
all of them trapped in pits(CX)
or hidden away in prisons.(CY)
They have become plunder,
with no one to rescue them;(CZ)
they have been made loot,
with no one to say, “Send them back.”
23 Which of you will listen to this
or pay close attention(DA) in time to come?
24 Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
and Israel to the plunderers?(DB)
Was it not the Lord,(DC)
against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow(DD) his ways;
they did not obey his law.(DE)
25 So he poured out on them his burning anger,(DF)
the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames,(DG) yet they did not understand;(DH)
it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.(DI)
Israel’s Only Savior
43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created(DJ) you, Jacob,
he who formed(DK) you, Israel:(DL)
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed(DM) you;
I have summoned you by name;(DN) you are mine.(DO)
2 When you pass through the waters,(DP)
I will be with you;(DQ)
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,(DR)
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.(DS)
3 For I am the Lord your God,(DT)
the Holy One(DU) of Israel, your Savior;(DV)
I give Egypt(DW) for your ransom,
Cush[a](DX) and Seba(DY) in your stead.(DZ)
4 Since you are precious and honored(EA) in my sight,
and because I love(EB) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid,(EC) for I am with you;(ED)
I will bring your children(EE) from the east
and gather(EF) you from the west.(EG)
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south,(EH) ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters(EI) from the ends of the earth(EJ)—
7 everyone who is called by my name,(EK)
whom I created(EL) for my glory,(EM)
whom I formed and made.(EN)”
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,(EO)
who have ears but are deaf.(EP)
9 All the nations gather together(EQ)
and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold(ER) this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,(ES)” declares the Lord,
“and my servant(ET) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know(EU) and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god(EV) was formed,
nor will there be one after me.(EW)
11 I, even I, am the Lord,(EX)
and apart from me there is no savior.(EY)
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god(EZ) among you.
You are my witnesses,(FA)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
13 Yes, and from ancient days(FB) I am he.(FC)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”(FD)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:3 That is, the upper Nile region
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.