Isaiah 45:18-46:13

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

¹⁸ For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
    (he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
    (he established it;
he did not create it a chaos;
    he formed it to be inhabited!):
I am the Lord, and there is no other.^(A)
19 I did not speak in secret
    in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
    “Seek me in chaos.”
I the Lord speak the truth;
    I declare what is right.^(B)

²² Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.^(E)
23 By myself I have sworn;
    from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness
    a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,
    every tongue shall swear.”^(F)

²⁴ Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
    are righteousness and strength;
all who were incensed against him
    shall come to him and be ashamed.^(G)
25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
    shall triumph and glory.^(H)

46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
    their idols are on beasts and cattle;
these things you carry are loaded
    as burdens on weary animals.^(I)
2 They stoop; they bow down together;
    they cannot save the burden
    but themselves go into captivity.^(J)

³ Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
    all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from your birth,
    carried from the womb;^(K)
4 even to your old age I am he;
    even when you turn gray I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.^(L)

⁵ To whom will you liken me and make me equal
    and compare me, as though we were alike?^(M)
6 Those who lavish gold from the purse
    and weigh out silver in the scales—
they hire a goldsmith, who makes it into a god;
    then they fall down and worship!^(N)
7 They lift it to their shoulders; they carry it;
    they set it in its place, and it stands there;
    it cannot move from its place.
If one cries out to it, it does not answer
    or save anyone from trouble.^(O)

⁸ Remember this and consider;^[b]
    recall it to mind, you transgressors;^(P)
9     remember the former things of old,
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is no one like me,^(Q)
10 declaring the outcome from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, “My purpose shall stand,
    and I will fulfill my intention,”^(R)
11 calling a bird of prey from the east,
    the man for my purpose from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
    I have planned, and I will do it.^(S)

¹² Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
    you who are far from deliverance:^(T)
13 I bring near my deliverance; it is not far off,
    and my salvation will not tarry;
I will put salvation in Zion,
    for Israel my glory.^(U)