1 H ear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and who come forth from the seed of Judah, you who swear allegiance by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel—but not in truth and sincerity, nor in righteousness (rightness and moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation)—

“Hear this, O family of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who come from the seed of Judah. They make promises in the name of the Lord, and call upon the God of Israel, but not in truth or by what is right and good.

2 F or they call themselves of the holy city and depend on the God of Israel—the Lord of hosts is His name.

For they call themselves people of the holy city, and trust in the God of Israel. The Lord of All is His name.

3 I have declared from the beginning the former things; they went forth from My mouth and I made them known; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

I made known the things that would happen long ago. From My mouth My words went out. Then all at once I did what I said I would, and they came to pass.

4 B ecause I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was an iron sinew and your brow was brass,

I know that your heart is hard. Your neck is like iron, and your forehead is like brass.

5 T herefore I have declared things to come to you from of old; before they came to pass I announced them to you, so that you could not say, My idol has done them, and my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.

So I made them known to you long ago. I told you before they happened, or else you might say, ‘My false god has done them. My objects of worship have made them happen.’

6 Y ou have heard, now you see this fulfillment. And will you not bear witness to it? I show you specified new things from this time forth, even hidden things which you have not known.

You have heard, now look at all this. And will you say that you will not tell about it? I tell you new things from this time on, even hidden things which you have not known.

7 T hey are created now, and not long ago; and before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, Behold, I knew them!

They are made now, not long ago. Before today you have never heard of them, or you would say, ‘See, I knew them.’

8 Y es, you have never heard, yes, you have never known; yes, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I, the Lord, knew that you, O house of Israel, dealt very treacherously; you were called a transgressor and a rebel from your birth.

You have not heard. You have not known. Even from long ago your ear has not been open, because I knew that you could not be trusted. You have been known to fight against the law and not obey from birth.

9 F or My name’s sake I defer My anger, and for the sake of My praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.

Because of My name I hold back My anger. For My praise I keep Myself from cutting you off.

10 B ehold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried and chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

See, I have tested you, but not as silver. I have tested you in the fire of suffering.

11 F or My own sake, for My own sake, I do it; for why should I permit My name to be polluted and profaned ? And I will not give My glory to another.

For My own good, for My own good, I will do this. For why should I allow My name to be put to shame? I will not give My shining-greatness to another. God Will Take Israel Out of Trouble

12 L isten to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He; I am the First, I also am the Last.

“Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I called. I am He. I am the first, and I am the last.

13 Y es, My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.

My hand put the earth in its place. And My right hand spread out the heavens. When I call to them, they stand together.

14 A ssemble yourselves, all of you, and hear! Who among them has foretold these things? The Lord has loved him; he will do His pleasure and purpose on Babylon, and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.

Gather together, all of you, and listen! Who among them has made these things known? The Lord loves him. He will do to Babylon what pleases him, and his arm will be against the Babylonians.

15 I , even I, have foretold it; yes, I have called him; I have brought him, and shall make his way prosperous.

I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and he will do well.

16 C ome near to me and listen to this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it happened, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent His Spirit in and with me.

Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret. From the time it came to be, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent me and His Spirit.”

17 T hus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way that you should go.

The Lord Who bought you and saves you, the Holy One of Israel, says, “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to do well, Who leads you in the way you should go.

18 O h, that you had hearkened to My commandments! Then your peace and prosperity would have been like a flowing river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

If only you had listened to My Laws! Then your peace would have been like a river and your right-standing with God would have been like the waves of the sea.

19 Y our offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like the offspring of the sea; their name would not be cut off or destroyed from before Me.

Your children’s children would have been like the sand. Those born to you would have been like the sand. Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before Me.”

20 G o forth out of Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing declare, tell this, cause it to go forth even to the end of the earth; say, The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob!

Go out from Babylon! Run from the Babylonians! Call out for joy and let this be known to the end of the earth, saying, “The Lord has bought and set free His servant Jacob!”

21 A nd they thirsted not when He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; He split the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

They were not thirsty when He led them through the deserts. He made water flow out of the rock for them. He broke the rock, and the water flowed out.

22 T here is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.

“There is no peace for the sinful,” says the Lord.