Isaiah
48 Hear this, O house of Jacob, YOU who are calling yourselves by the name of Israel+ and who have come forth from the very waters* of Judah,+ YOU who are swearing by the name of Jehovah+ and who make mention even of the God* of Israel,+ not in truth* and not in righteousness.+ 2 For they have called themselves as being from the holy city,+ and upon the God of Israel they have supported themselves,+ Jehovah of armies being his name.+
3 “The first things I have told even from that time, and out of my own mouth they went forth, and I kept making them heard.+ Suddenly I acted, and the things proceeded to come in.+ 4 Due to my knowing that you are hard+ and that your neck is an iron sinew+ and your forehead is copper,+ 5 I also kept telling you from that time. Before it could come in, I caused you to hear [it],+ that you might not say, ‘My own idol has done them, and my own carved image and my own molten image have commanded them.’+ 6 You have heard.+ Behold it all.+ As for YOU people, will YOU not tell [it]?+ I have made you hear new things from the present time, even things kept in reserve,* that you have not known.+ 7 At the present time they must be created, and not from that time, even things that before today you have not heard, that you may not say, ‘Look! I have already known them.’+
8 “Moreover, you have not heard,+ neither have you known, nor from that time on has your ear been opened. For I well know that without fail you kept dealing treacherously,+ and a ‘transgressor from the belly’* you have been called.+ 9 For the sake of my name I shall check my anger,+ and for my praise I shall restrain myself toward you that there may be no cutting you off.+ 10 Look! I have refined you, but not in [the form of] silver.+ I have made choice of you in the smelting furnace of affliction.+ 11 For my own sake, for my own sake I shall act,+ for how could one let oneself be profaned?+ And to no one else shall I give my own glory.+
12 “Listen to me, O Jacob, and you Israel my called one. I am the same One.+ I am the first.+ Moreover, I am the last.+ 13 Moreover, my own hand laid the foundation of the earth,+ and my own right hand extended out the heavens.+ I am calling to them, that they may keep standing together.+
14 “Be collected together, all YOU people, and hear.+ Who among them* has told these things? Jehovah himself has loved him.+ He will do what is his delight upon Babylon,+ and his own arm will be upon the Chal·deʹans.+ 15 I—I myself have spoken. Moreover, I have called him.+ I have brought him in, and there will be a making of his way successful.+
16 “Come near to me, YOU people. Hear this. From the start I have spoken in no place of concealment at all.+ From the time of its occurring I have been there.”
And now the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself has sent me, even* his spirit.+ 17 This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser,+ the Holy One of Israel:+ “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit [yourself],+ the One causing you to tread in the way in which you should walk.+ 18 O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandments!+ Then your peace would become just like a river,+ and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.+ 19 And your offspring would become just like the sand, and the descendants from your inward parts like the grains of it.+ One’s name* would not be cut off or be annihilated from before me.”+
20 Go forth, YOU people, out of Babylon!+ Run away from the Chal·deʹans.+ Tell forth even with the sound of a joyful cry, cause this to be heard.+ Make it to go forth to the extremity of the earth.+ Say: “Jehovah has repurchased his servant Jacob.+ 21 And they did not get thirsty+ when he was making them walk even through devastated places.+ Water out of the rock he caused to flow forth for them, and he proceeded to split a rock that the water might stream forth.”+
22 “There is no peace,” Jehovah has said, “for the wicked ones.”+