Isaiah 41
New American Standard Bible
Israel Encouraged
41 “(A)Listen to Me (B)in silence, you coastlands,
And let the peoples (C)gain new strength;
(D)Let them come forward, then let them speak;
(E)Let’s come together for judgment.
2 (F)Who has stirred one from the east
Whom He (G)calls in righteousness to His [a]feet?
He (H)turns nations over to him
And subdues kings.
He makes them like (I)dust with his sword,
Like the wind-driven (J)chaff with his bow.
3 He pursues them, passing on in safety,
By a way he had not been [b]traversing with his feet.
4 (K)Who has performed and accomplished it,
Summoning the generations from the beginning?
‘(L)I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last. (M)I am He.’”
5 The (N)coastlands have seen and are afraid;
The (O)ends of the earth tremble;
They have approached and have come.
6 Each one helps his neighbor
And says to his brother, “Be strong!”
7 So the (P)craftsman encourages the (Q)smelter,
And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil,
Saying of the soldering, “It is good”;
And he fastens it with nails,
(R)So that it will not totter.
8 “But you, Israel, (S)My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
Descendant of (T)Abraham My (U)friend,
9 You whom I have [c](V)taken from the ends of the earth
And called from its (W)remotest parts,
And said to you, ‘You are (X)My servant,
I have (Y)chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 Do not (Z)fear, for I am with you;
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, (AA)I will also help you,
I will also uphold you with My righteous (AB)right hand.’
11 Behold, (AC)all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
(AD)Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
12 (AE)You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
13 For I am the Lord your God (AF)who takes hold of your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘(AG)Do not fear, I will help you.’
14 Do not fear, you (AH)worm Jacob, you people of Israel;
I will help you,” declares the Lord, “and (AI)your [d]Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I turned you into a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges;
(AJ)You will thresh the (AK)mountains and pulverize them,
And make the hills like chaff.
16 You will (AL)winnow them, and the wind will carry them away,
And the storm will scatter them;
But you will (AM)rejoice in the Lord,
You will boast in the Holy One of Israel.
17 “The poor and needy are seeking (AN)water, but there is none,
And their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the Lord, (AO)will answer them Myself;
As the God of Israel I (AP)will not abandon them.
18 I will open (AQ)rivers on the bare heights,
And springs in the midst of the valleys;
I will make (AR)the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land fountains of water.
19 I will put the cedar in the wilderness,
The acacia, the (AS)myrtle, and the olive tree;
I will place the (AT)juniper in the desert,
Together with the elm tree and the cypress,
20 So that (AU)they may see and recognize,
And consider and gain insight as well,
That the (AV)hand of the Lord has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 “[e]Present your case,” the Lord says.
“Bring forward your evidence,”
The (AW)King of Jacob says.
22 (AX)Let them bring them forward and declare to us what is going to take place;
As for the (AY)former events, declare what they were,
So that we may consider them and know their outcome.
Or announce to us what is coming;
23 (AZ)Declare the things that are going to come afterward,
So that we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, (BA)do good or evil, that we may be afraid and fear together.
24 Behold, (BB)you are less than nothing,
And (BC)your work is less than nothing!
He who chooses you is an (BD)abomination.
25 “I have put (BE)one from the north into motion, and he has come;
From the rising of the sun he will call on My name;
And he will come upon rulers as upon [f](BF)mortar,
As the potter treads on clay.”
26 Who has (BG)declared this from the beginning, that we might know?
Or from former times, that we may say, “He is right!”?
There was (BH)no one at all who declared,
There was no one at all who proclaimed,
There was no one at all who heard your words.
27 “(BI)Previously I said to Zion, ‘Behold, here they are.’
And to Jerusalem, ‘I will give a (BJ)messenger of good news.’
28 But (BK)when I look, there is no one,
And there is no (BL)counselor [g]among them
Who, if I ask, can (BM)give an answer.
29 Behold, all of them are [h]false;
Their (BN)works are (BO)nothing,
Their cast metal images are (BP)wind and emptiness.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:2 Lit foot
- Isaiah 41:3 Lit going
- Isaiah 41:9 Lit seized
- Isaiah 41:14 Or Redeemer, the Holy One
- Isaiah 41:21 Lit Bring near
- Isaiah 41:25 I.e., the building material
- Isaiah 41:28 Lit out of those
- Isaiah 41:29 Another reading is nothing
Isaiah 41
New King James Version
Israel Assured of God’s Help
41 “Keep (A)silence before Me, O coastlands,
And let the people renew their strength!
Let them come near, then let them speak;
Let us (B)come near together for judgment.
2 “Who raised up one (C)from the east?
Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
Who (D)gave the nations before him,
And made him rule over kings?
Who gave them as the dust to his sword,
As driven stubble to his bow?
3 Who pursued them, and passed [a]safely
By the way that he had not gone with his feet?
4 (E)Who has performed and done it,
Calling the generations from the beginning?
‘I, the Lord, am (F)the first;
And with the last I am (G)He.’ ”
5 The coastlands saw it and feared,
The ends of the earth were afraid;
They drew near and came.
6 (H)Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
[b]“Be of good courage!”
7 (I)So the craftsman encouraged the (J)goldsmith;[c]
He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil,
Saying, [d]“It is ready for the soldering”;
Then he fastened it with pegs,
(K)That it might not totter.
8 “But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have (L)chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My (M)friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
10 (N)Fear not, (O)for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be (P)ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them—
[e]Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.
13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
14 “Fear not, you (Q)worm Jacob,
You men of Israel!
I will help you,” says the Lord
And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 “Behold, (R)I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth;
You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small,
And make the hills like chaff.
16 You shall (S)winnow them, the wind shall carry them away,
And the whirlwind shall scatter them;
You shall rejoice in the Lord,
And (T)glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 “The poor and needy seek water, but there is none,
Their tongues fail for thirst.
I, the Lord, will hear them;
I, the God of Israel, will not (U)forsake them.
18 I will open (V)rivers in desolate heights,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the (W)wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree,
The myrtle and the oil tree;
I will set in the (X)desert the cypress tree and the pine
And the box tree together,
20 (Y)That they may see and know,
And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
The Futility of Idols
21 “Present your case,” says the Lord.
“Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the (Z)King of Jacob.
22 “Let(AA) them bring forth and show us what will happen;
Let them show the (AB)former things, what they were,
That we may [f]consider them,
And know the latter end of them;
Or declare to us things to come.
23 (AC)Show the things that are to come hereafter,
That we may know that you are gods;
Yes, (AD)do good or do evil,
That we may be dismayed and see it together.
24 Indeed (AE)you are nothing,
And your work is nothing;
He who chooses you is an abomination.
25 “I have raised up one from the north,
And he shall come;
From the [g]rising of the sun (AF)he shall call on My name;
(AG)And he shall come against princes as though mortar,
As the potter treads clay.
26 (AH)Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know?
And former times, that we may say, ‘He is righteous’?
Surely there is no one who shows,
Surely there is no one who declares,
Surely there is no one who hears your words.
27 (AI)The first time (AJ)I said to Zion,
‘Look, there they are!’
And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.
28 (AK)For I looked, and there was no man;
I looked among them, but there was no counselor,
Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 (AL)Indeed they are all [h]worthless;
Their works are nothing;
Their molded images are wind and confusion.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 41:3 Lit. in peace
- Isaiah 41:6 Lit. Be strong
- Isaiah 41:7 refiner
- Isaiah 41:7 Or The soldering is good
- Isaiah 41:12 Lit. Men of your strife
- Isaiah 41:22 Lit. set our heart on them
- Isaiah 41:25 East
- Isaiah 41:29 So with MT, Vg.; DSS, Syr., Tg. nothing; LXX omits first line
Isaiah 42
New American Standard Bible
God’s Promise concerning His Servant
42 “(A)Behold, My (B)Servant, whom I [a]uphold;
My (C)chosen one in whom My (D)soul delights.
I have put My (E)Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth (F)justice to the [b]nations.
2 He will not cry out nor raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street.
3 A bent reed He will not break off
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will faithfully bring forth (G)justice.
4 He will not be (H)disheartened or crushed
Until He has established justice on the earth;
And the (I)coastlands will wait expectantly for His [c]law.”
5 This is what God the Lord says,
Who (J)created the heavens and (K)stretched them out,
Who spread out the (L)earth and its [d]offspring,
Who (M)gives breath to the people on it
And spirit to those who walk in it:
6 “I am the Lord, I have (N)called You in righteousness,
I will also (O)hold You by the hand and (P)watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a (Q)covenant to the people,
As a (R)light to the nations,
7 To (S)open blind eyes,
To (T)bring out prisoners from the dungeon
And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.
8 (U)I am the Lord, that is (V)My name;
I will not give My (W)glory to another,
Nor My praise to idols.
9 Behold, the (X)former things have come to pass,
Now I declare (Y)new things;
Before they sprout I proclaim them to you.”
10 Sing to the Lord a (Z)new song,
Sing His praise from the (AA)end of the earth!
(AB)You who go down to the sea, and (AC)all that is in it;
You (AD)islands, and those who live on them.
11 Let the (AE)wilderness and its cities raise their voices,
The settlements which (AF)Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of (AG)Sela sing aloud,
Let them shout for joy from the tops of the (AH)mountains.
12 Let them (AI)give glory to the Lord
And declare His praise in the (AJ)coastlands.
13 (AK)The Lord will go out like a warrior,
He will stir His (AL)zeal like a man of war.
He will shout, indeed, He will raise a war cry.
He will (AM)prevail against His enemies.
The Blindness of the People
14 “(AN)I have kept silent for a long time,
I have kept still and restrained Myself.
Now like a woman in labor I will groan,
I will both gasp and pant.
15 I will (AO)lay waste the mountains and hills
And wither all their vegetation;
I will (AP)turn the rivers into coastlands
And dry up the ponds.
16 I will (AQ)lead those who are blind by a way they have not known,
In paths they have not known I will guide them.
I will (AR)turn darkness into light before them
And (AS)uneven land into plains.
These are the things I will do,
And I will (AT)not leave them undone.”
17 They will be turned back and be (AU)utterly put to shame,
Who trust in [e]idols,
Who say to cast metal images,
“You are our gods.”
18 (AV)Hear, you who are deaf!
And look, you who are blind, so that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My (AW)servant,
Or so deaf as My (AX)messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as one who is [f](AY)at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 (AZ)You have seen many things, but you do not retain them;
Your ears are open, but no one hears.
21 The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake
To make the Law (BA)great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and pillaged;
All of them are (BB)trapped in [g]caves,
Or are (BC)hidden away in prisons;
They have become plunder, with no one to save them,
And spoils with no one to say, “Give them back!”
23 Who among you will listen to this?
Who will pay attention and listen in the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob up for spoils, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they (BD)were not willing to walk,
And whose Law they did not (BE)obey?
25 So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the (BF)fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not recognize it;
And it burned him, but he [h](BG)paid no attention.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 42:1 Or hold fast
- Isaiah 42:1 Or Gentiles
- Isaiah 42:4 Or instruction
- Isaiah 42:5 Or vegetation
- Isaiah 42:17 Or carved images
- Isaiah 42:19 Or the devoted one
- Isaiah 42:22 Or holes
- Isaiah 42:25 Lit did not lay it to heart
Isaiah 42
New King James Version
The Servant of the Lord
42 “Behold! (A)My Servant whom I uphold,
My [a]Elect One in whom My soul (B)delights!
(C)I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed He will not break,
And [b]smoking flax He will not [c]quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
4 He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
(D)And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”
5 Thus says God the Lord,
(E)Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,
(F)Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:
6 “I,(G) the Lord, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You (H)and give You as a covenant to the people,
As (I)a light to the Gentiles,
7 (J)To open blind eyes,
To (K)bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in (L)darkness from the prison house.
8 I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My (M)glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,
And new things I declare;
Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Praise to the Lord
10 (N)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise from the ends of the earth,
(O)You who go down to the sea, and [d]all that is in it,
You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice,
The villages that Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing,
Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord,
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, (P)yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies.
Promise of the Lord’s Help
14 “I have held My peace a long time,
I have been still and restrained Myself.
Now I will cry like a woman in [e]labor,
I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills,
And dry up all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers coastlands,
And I will dry up the pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.
17 They shall be (Q)turned back,
They shall be greatly ashamed,
Who trust in carved images,
Who say to the molded images,
‘You are our gods.’
18 “Hear, you deaf;
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 (R)Who is blind but My servant,
Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as he who is perfect,
And blind as the Lord’s servant?
20 Seeing many things, (S)but you do not observe;
Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”
Israel’s Obstinate Disobedience
21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;
He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are [f]snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”
23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers?
Was it not the Lord,
He against whom we have sinned?
(T)For they would not walk in His ways,
Nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger
And the strength of battle;
(U)It has set him on fire all around,
(V)Yet he did not know;
And it burned him,
Yet he did not take it to (W)heart.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 42:1 Chosen
- Isaiah 42:3 dimly burning
- Isaiah 42:3 extinguish
- Isaiah 42:10 Lit. its fullness
- Isaiah 42:14 childbirth
- Isaiah 42:22 Or trapped in caves
Isaiah 43
New American Standard Bible
Israel Redeemed
43 But now, this is what the Lord says, He who is your (A)Creator, Jacob,
And He who (B)formed you, Israel:
“Do not (C)fear, for I have (D)redeemed you;
I have (E)called you by name; you are (F)Mine!
2 When you (G)pass through the waters, (H)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you (I)walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3 For (J)I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your (K)Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
[a](L)Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Since you are (M)precious in My sight,
Since you are (N)honored and I (O)love you,
I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not fear, for (P)I am with you;
I will bring (Q)your offspring from the east,
And (R)gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the (S)north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring My (T)sons from afar
And My daughters from the (U)ends of the earth,
7 Everyone who is (V)called by My name,
And whom I have (W)created for My (X)glory,
(Y)Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
Israel Is God’s Witness
8 Bring out the people who are (Z)blind, even though they have eyes,
And those who are deaf, even though they have ears.
9 All the nations have (AA)gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can (AB)declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present (AC)their witnesses so (AD)that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are (AE)My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And (AF)My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that (AG)I am He.
(AH)Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.
11 I, only I, am the Lord,
And there is no (AI)savior (AJ)besides Me.
12 It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
And there was no (AK)strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And I am God.
13 Even [b](AL)from eternity (AM)I am He,
And there is (AN)no one who can rescue from My hand;
(AO)I act, and who can reverse it?”
Babylon to Be Destroyed
14 This is what the Lord your (AP)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:
“For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
And will bring them all down as fugitives,
[c]Even the (AQ)Chaldeans, into the (AR)ships [d]over which they rejoice.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
(AS)The Creator of Israel, your (AT)King.”
16 This is what the Lord says,
He who (AU)makes a way through the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings out the (AV)chariot and the horse,
The army and the mighty man
(They will lie down together and not rise again;
They have been (AW)extinguished, and have gone out like a wick):
18 “(AX)Do not call to mind the former things,
Or consider things of the past.
19 Behold, I am going to do something (AY)new,
Now it will spring up;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even (AZ)make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
20 The animals of the field will glorify Me,
The (BA)jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have (BB)given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
21 The people whom (BC)I formed for Myself
(BD)Will declare My praise.
The Shortcomings of Israel
22 “Yet you have not called on Me, Jacob;
But you have become (BE)weary of Me, Israel.
23 You have (BF)not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings,
Nor have you (BG)honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not (BH)burdened you with [e]offerings,
Nor wearied you with (BI)incense.
24 You have not bought Me [f](BJ)sweet cane with money,
Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
Rather, you have burdened Me with your sins,
You have (BK)wearied Me with your wrongdoings.
25 “I, I alone, am the one who (BL)wipes out your wrongdoings (BM)for My own sake,
And I will (BN)not remember your sins.
26 [g]Meet Me in court, (BO)let’s argue our case together;
State your cause, (BP)so that you may be proved right.
27 Your (BQ)first [h]forefather sinned,
And your [i](BR)spokesmen have rebelled against Me.
28 So I will profane the [j]officials of the sanctuary,
And I will turn Jacob over to (BS)destruction and Israel to (BT)abuse.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:3 Or Ethiopia
- Isaiah 43:13 As in LXX; MT from the day
- Isaiah 43:14 Another reading is As for the Chaldeans, their rejoicing is turned into mourning
- Isaiah 43:14 Lit of their rejoicing
- Isaiah 43:23 Or a meal offering
- Isaiah 43:24 Or calamus
- Isaiah 43:26 Or Report to Me
- Isaiah 43:27 Lit father
- Isaiah 43:27 Or interpreters
- Isaiah 43:28 Or holy princes
Isaiah 43
New King James Version
The Redeemer of Israel
43 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, (A)for I have redeemed you;
(B)I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 (C)When you pass through the waters, (D)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you (E)walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
(F)I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have (G)loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5 (H)Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And (I)gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the (J)north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 Everyone who is (K)called by My name,
Whom (L)I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
8 (M)Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the (N)deaf who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
(O)Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
10 “You(P) are My witnesses,” says the Lord,
(Q)“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and (R)believe Me,
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, (S)am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no (T)foreign god among you;
(U)Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 (V)Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will (W)reverse it?”
14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon,
And bring them all down as fugitives—
The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your (X)King.”
16 Thus says the Lord, who (Y)makes a way in the sea
And a (Z)path through the mighty waters,
17 Who (AA)brings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 “Do(AB) not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a (AC)new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
(AD)I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because (AE)I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 (AF)This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My (AG)praise.
Pleading with Unfaithful Israel
22 “But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob;
And you (AH)have been weary of Me, O Israel.
23 (AI)You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings,
Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings,
Nor wearied you with incense.
24 You have bought Me no sweet cane with money,
Nor have you satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
But you have burdened Me with your sins,
You have (AJ)wearied Me with your iniquities.
25 “I, even I, am He who (AK)blots out your transgressions (AL)for My own sake;
(AM)And I will not remember your sins.
26 Put Me in remembrance;
Let us contend together;
State your case, that you may be [a]acquitted.
27 Your first father sinned,
And your [b]mediators have transgressed against Me.
28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary;
(AN)I will give Jacob to the curse,
And Israel to reproaches.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 43:26 justified
- Isaiah 43:27 interpreters
Isaiah 44
New American Standard Bible
The Blessings of Israel
44 “But now listen, Jacob, My (A)servant,
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 This is what the Lord says, He who made you
And (B)formed you from the womb, who (C)will help you:
‘(D)Do not fear, Jacob My servant,
And [a](E)Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For (F)I will pour water on [b]the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground;
I will (G)pour out My Spirit on your (H)offspring,
And My blessing on your descendants;
4 And they will spring up [c]among the grass
Like (I)poplars by streams of water.’
5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
And that one [d]will call on the name of Jacob;
And another will (J)write [e]on his hand, ‘Belonging to the Lord,’
And will give himself Israel’s name with honor.
6 “This is what the Lord says, He who is the (K)King of Israel and his (L)Redeemer, the Lord of armies:
‘I am the (M)first and I am the last,
And there is no God (N)besides Me.
7 Who is like Me? (O)Let him proclaim and declare it;
And, let him confront Me
[f]Beginning with My establishing of the ancient [g]nation.
Then let them declare to them the things that are coming
And the events that are going to take place.
8 Do not tremble and do not be afraid;
(P)Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?
And (Q)you are My witnesses.
Is there any God (R)besides Me,
Or is there any other (S)Rock?
I know of none.’”
The Foolishness of Idolatry
9 Those who fashion an idol are all futile, and their treasured things are of no benefit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be (T)put to shame. 10 Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to (U)no benefit? 11 Behold, all his companions will be (V)put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them be put to shame together.
12 The (W)craftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, [h]fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and [i]his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary. 13 (X)The craftsman of wood extends a measuring line; he outlines it with a marker. He works it with carving knives and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of (Y)mankind, so that it may sit in a (Z)house. 14 He will cut cedars for himself, and he takes a holm-oak or another oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel tree, and the rain makes it grow. 15 Then it becomes something for a person to burn, so he takes one of them and gets warm; he also makes a fire and bakes bread. He also (AA)makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image and (AB)bows down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” 17 Yet the rest of it he (AC)makes into a god, his carved image. He bows down before it and worships; he also (AD)prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
18 They do not (AE)know, nor do they understand, for He has (AF)smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. 19 No one [j]remembers, nor is there (AG)knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then [k]I make the rest of it into an (AH)abomination, [l]I bow down before a block of wood!” 20 He [m](AI)feeds on ashes; a (AJ)deceived heart has misled him. And he cannot save [n]himself, nor say, “(AK)Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
God Forgives and Redeems
21 “(AL)Remember these things, Jacob,
And Israel, for you are (AM)My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant,
Israel, you will (AN)not be forgotten by Me.
22 I have (AO)wiped out your wrongdoings like a thick cloud
And your sins like a [o]heavy mist.
(AP)Return to Me, for I have (AQ)redeemed you.”
23 (AR)Shout for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done it!
Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;
(AS)Break into a shout of jubilation, you mountains,
Forest, and every tree in it;
For (AT)the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And in Israel He (AU)shows His glory.
24 This is what the Lord says, He who is your (AV)Redeemer, and the one who (AW)formed you from the womb:
“I, the Lord, am the maker of all things,
(AX)Stretching out the heavens by Myself
And spreading out the earth [p]alone,
25 (AY)Causing the [q]omens of diviners to fail,
[r]Making fools of fortune-tellers;
(AZ)Causing wise men to turn back
And [s]making their knowledge ridiculous,
26 (BA)Confirming the word of His servant
And [t]carrying out the purpose of His messengers.
It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’
And of the (BB)cities of Judah, ‘(BC)They shall be built.’
And I will raise her ruins again.
27 I am the One who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Dry up!’
And I will make your rivers (BD)dry up.
28 It is I who says of (BE)Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,
And he will carry out all My desire.’
And [u]he says of Jerusalem, ‘(BF)She will be built,’
And of the temple, ‘[v]Your foundation will be laid.’”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 44:2 I.e., Israel
- Isaiah 44:3 Or him who is thirsty
- Isaiah 44:4 Another reading is like grass among the waters
- Isaiah 44:5 Another reading is will be called by the name of Jacob
- Isaiah 44:5 Or with
- Isaiah 44:7 Lit From My establishing of
- Isaiah 44:7 Or people
- Isaiah 44:12 Lit and fashions
- Isaiah 44:12 Lit there is no strength
- Isaiah 44:19 Lit returns to his heart
- Isaiah 44:19 Or shall I make?
- Isaiah 44:19 Or shall I bow...?
- Isaiah 44:20 Or is a companion of ashes
- Isaiah 44:20 Lit his soul
- Isaiah 44:22 Or cloud
- Isaiah 44:24 Or who was with Me?
- Isaiah 44:25 Lit signs
- Isaiah 44:25 Lit He makes
- Isaiah 44:25 Lit He turns
- Isaiah 44:26 Lit He performs
- Isaiah 44:28 Lit to say
- Isaiah 44:28 Lit You will be founded
Isaiah 44
New King James Version
God’s Blessing on Israel
44 “Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant,
And Israel whom I have chosen.
2 Thus says the Lord who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you:
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant;
And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring;
4 They will spring up among the grass
Like willows by the watercourses.’
5 One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
Another will call himself by the name of Jacob;
Another will write with his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
And name himself by the name of Israel.
There Is No Other God
6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
(A)‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.
7 And (B)who can proclaim as I do?
Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me,
Since I appointed the ancient people.
And the things that are coming and shall come,
Let them show these to them.
8 Do not fear, nor be afraid;
(C)Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?
(D)You are My witnesses.
Is there a God besides Me?
Indeed (E)there is no other Rock;
I know not one.’ ”
Idolatry Is Foolishness
9 (F)Those who make an image, all of them are useless,
And their precious things shall not profit;
They are their own witnesses;
(G)They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.
10 Who would form a god or mold an image
(H)That profits him nothing?
11 Surely all his companions would be (I)ashamed;
And the workmen, they are mere men.
Let them all be gathered together,
Let them stand up;
Yet they shall fear,
They shall be ashamed together.
12 (J)The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals,
Fashions it with hammers,
And works it with the strength of his arms.
Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails;
He drinks no water and is faint.
13 The craftsman stretches out his rule,
He marks one out with chalk;
He fashions it with a plane,
He marks it out with the compass,
And makes it like the figure of a man,
According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.
14 He cuts down cedars for himself,
And takes the cypress and the oak;
He [a]secures it for himself among the trees of the forest.
He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.
15 Then it shall be for a man to burn,
For he will take some of it and warm himself;
Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread;
Indeed he makes a god and worships it;
He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
16 He burns half of it in the fire;
With this half he eats meat;
He roasts a roast, and is satisfied.
He even warms himself and says,
“Ah! I am warm,
I have seen the fire.”
17 And the rest of it he makes into a god,
His carved image.
He falls down before it and worships it,
Prays to it and says,
“Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 (K)They do not know nor understand;
For (L)He has [b]shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,
And their hearts, so that they cannot (M)understand.
19 And no one (N)considers in his heart,
Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say,
“I have burned half of it in the fire,
Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals;
I have roasted meat and eaten it;
And shall I make the rest of it an abomination?
Shall I fall down before a block of wood?”
20 He feeds on ashes;
(O)A deceived heart has turned him aside;
And he cannot deliver his soul,
Nor say, “Is there not a (P)lie in my right hand?”
Israel Is Not Forgotten
21 “Remember these, O Jacob,
And Israel, for you are My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant;
O Israel, you will not be (Q)forgotten by Me!
22 (R)I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
And like a cloud, your sins.
Return to Me, for (S)I have redeemed you.”
23 (T)Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it!
Shout, you lower parts of the earth;
Break forth into singing, you mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And (U)glorified Himself in Israel.
Judah Will Be Restored
24 Thus says the Lord, (V)your Redeemer,
And (W)He who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who makes all things,
(X)Who stretches out the heavens [c]all alone,
Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;
25 Who (Y)frustrates the signs (Z)of the babblers,
And drives diviners mad;
Who turns wise men backward,
(AA)And makes their knowledge foolishness;
26 (AB)Who confirms the word of His servant,
And performs the counsel of His messengers;
Who says to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be inhabited,’
To the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,’
And I will raise up her waste places;
27 (AC)Who says to the deep, ‘Be dry!
And I will dry up your rivers’;
28 Who says of (AD)Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,
And he shall perform all My pleasure,
Saying to Jerusalem, (AE)“You shall be built,”
And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.” ’
Footnotes
- Isaiah 44:14 Lit. appropriates
- Isaiah 44:18 Lit. smeared over
- Isaiah 44:24 By Himself
1 Corinthians 12
New American Standard Bible
The Use of Spiritual Gifts
12 Now concerning (A)spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, (B)I do not want you to be unaware. 2 (C)You know that when you were [a]pagans, you were (D)led [b]astray to the (E)mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking [c](F)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is [d](G)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is (H)Lord,” except [e](I)by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are (J)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same (K)God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit (L)for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of (M)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of (N)knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another (O)faith [f]by the same Spirit, and to another (P)gifts of [g]healing [h]by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the [i]effecting of [j](Q)miracles, and to another (R)prophecy, and to another the [k](S)distinguishing of spirits, to another various (T)kinds of tongues, and to another the (U)interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, (V)distributing to each one individually just as He [l]wills.
12 For just (W)as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, (X)so also is Christ. 13 For [m](Y)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether (Z)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to (AA)drink of one Spirit.
14 For (AB)the body is not one part, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [n]any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason [o]any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has (AC)arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, (AD)just as He desired. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But now (AE)there are many parts, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, [p]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those parts of the body which we [q]consider less honorable, [r]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, 25 so that there may be no [s]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is [t]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.
27 Now you are (AF)Christ’s body, and (AG)individually parts of it. 28 And God has [u](AH)appointed in (AI)the church, first (AJ)apostles, second (AK)prophets, third (AL)teachers, then [v](AM)miracles, then (AN)gifts of healings, helps, (AO)administrations, and various (AP)kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of [w]miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not (AQ)interpret, do they? 31 But (AR)earnestly desire the greater gifts.
And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:2 Lit Gentiles; i.e., mainly Greeks and Romans, traditionally polytheistic
- 1 Corinthians 12:2 Or away
- 1 Corinthians 12:3 Or in
- 1 Corinthians 12:3 Gr anathema
- 1 Corinthians 12:3 Or in
- 1 Corinthians 12:9 Or in
- 1 Corinthians 12:9 Lit healings
- 1 Corinthians 12:9 Or in
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Lit effects
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or works of power
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Lit distinguishings
- 1 Corinthians 12:11 Or intends
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or in
- 1 Corinthians 12:15 Lit not a part
- 1 Corinthians 12:16 Lit not a part
- 1 Corinthians 12:22 Lit to a much greater degree the parts
- 1 Corinthians 12:23 Or think to be
- 1 Corinthians 12:23 Or these we clothe with
- 1 Corinthians 12:25 Or dissension
- 1 Corinthians 12:26 Lit glorified
- 1 Corinthians 12:28 Lit set some in
- 1 Corinthians 12:28 Or works of power
- 1 Corinthians 12:29 Or works of power
1 Corinthians 12
New King James Version
Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity
12 Now (A)concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know (B)that[a] you were Gentiles, carried away to these (C)dumb[b] idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus [c]accursed, and (D)no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4 (E)There are [d]diversities of gifts, but (F)the same Spirit. 5 (G)There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God (H)who works [e]all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given (I)the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another (J)the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 (K)to another faith by the same Spirit, to another (L)gifts of healings by [f]the same Spirit, 10 (M)to another the working of miracles, to another (N)prophecy, to another (O)discerning of spirits, to another (P)different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, (Q)distributing to each one individually (R)as He wills.
Unity and Diversity in One Body(S)
12 For (T)as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, (U)so also is Christ. 13 For (V)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—(W)whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and (X)have all been made to drink [g]into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now (Y)God has set the members, each one of them, in the body (Z)just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no [h]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now (AA)you are the body of Christ, and (AB)members individually. 28 And (AC)God has appointed these in the church: first (AD)apostles, second (AE)prophets, third teachers, after that (AF)miracles, then (AG)gifts of healings, (AH)helps, (AI)administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But (AJ)earnestly desire the [i]best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:2 NU, M that when
- 1 Corinthians 12:2 mute, silent
- 1 Corinthians 12:3 Gr. anathema
- 1 Corinthians 12:4 allotments or various kinds
- 1 Corinthians 12:6 all things in
- 1 Corinthians 12:9 NU one
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 NU omits into
- 1 Corinthians 12:25 division
- 1 Corinthians 12:31 NU greater
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
