Isaiah 46:8-47:15

New International Version

⁸“Remember^(A) this, keep it in mind,
    take it to heart, you rebels.^(B)
⁹Remember the former things,^(C) those of long ago;^(D)
    I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me.^(E)
¹⁰I make known the end from the beginning,^(F)
    from ancient times,^(G) what is still to come.^(H)
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,^(I)
    and I will do all that I please.’
¹¹From the east I summon^(J) a bird of prey;^(K)
    from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
    what I have planned,^(L) that I will do.^(M)
¹²Listen^(N) to me, you stubborn-hearted,^(O)
    you who are now far from my righteousness.^(P)
¹³I am bringing my righteousness^(Q) near,
    it is not far away;
    and my salvation^(R) will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,^(S)
    my splendor^(T) to Israel.

The Fall of Babylon

47 “Go down, sit in the dust,^(U)
    Virgin Daughter^(V) Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
    queen city of the Babylonians.^[a]^(W)
No more will you be called
    tender or delicate.^(X)
²Take millstones^(Y) and grind^(Z) flour;
    take off your veil.^(AA)
Lift up your skirts,^(AB) bare your legs,
    and wade through the streams.
³Your nakedness^(AC) will be exposed
    and your shame^(AD) uncovered.
I will take vengeance;^(AE)
    I will spare no one.^(AF)”

⁴Our Redeemer^(AG)—the Lord Almighty^(AH) is his name^(AI)—
is the Holy One^(AJ) of Israel.

⁵“Sit in silence,^(AK) go into darkness,^(AL)
    queen city of the Babylonians;^(AM)
no more will you be called
    queen^(AN) of kingdoms.^(AO)
⁶I was angry^(AP) with my people
    and desecrated my inheritance;^(AQ)
I gave them into your hand,^(AR)
    and you showed them no mercy.^(AS)
Even on the aged
    you laid a very heavy yoke.
⁷You said, ‘I am forever^(AT)—
    the eternal queen!’^(AU)
But you did not consider these things
    or reflect^(AV) on what might happen.^(AW)

⁸“Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure,
    lounging in your security^(AX)
and saying to yourself,
    ‘I am, and there is none besides me.^(AY)
I will never be a widow^(AZ)
    or suffer the loss of children.’
⁹Both of these will overtake you
    in a moment,^(BA) on a single day:
    loss of children^(BB) and widowhood.^(BC)
They will come upon you in full measure,
    in spite of your many sorceries^(BD)
    and all your potent spells.^(BE)
¹⁰You have trusted^(BF) in your wickedness
    and have said, ‘No one sees me.’^(BG)
Your wisdom^(BH) and knowledge mislead^(BI) you
    when you say to yourself,
    ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
¹¹Disaster^(BJ) will come upon you,
    and you will not know how to conjure it away.
A calamity will fall upon you
    that you cannot ward off with a ransom;
a catastrophe you cannot foresee
    will suddenly^(BK) come upon you.

¹²“Keep on, then, with your magic spells
    and with your many sorceries,^(BL)
    which you have labored at since childhood.
Perhaps you will succeed,
    perhaps you will cause terror.
¹³All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!^(BM)
    Let your astrologers^(BN) come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
    let them save^(BO) you from what is coming upon you.
¹⁴Surely they are like stubble;^(BP)
    the fire^(BQ) will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
    from the power of the flame.^(BR)
These are not coals for warmth;
    this is not a fire to sit by.
¹⁵That is all they are to you—
    these you have dealt with
    and labored^(BS) with since childhood.
All of them go on in their error;
    there is not one that can save^(BT) you.