Isaiah 42
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1“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.1"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
2He will not shout or raise his voice in public.2He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
3He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.3A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction. ”4he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope."
5God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And it is he who says,5This is what God the LORD says-- the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
6“I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations.6"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
7You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.7to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.8"I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
9Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens.” A Song of Praise to the LORD9See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
10Sing a new song to the LORD! Sing his praises from the ends of the earth! Sing, all you who sail the seas, all you who live in distant coastlands.10Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.
11Join in the chorus, you desert towns; let the villages of Kedar rejoice! Let the people of Sela sing for joy; shout praises from the mountaintops!11Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops.
12Let the whole world glorify the LORD; let it sing his praise.12Let them give glory to the LORD and proclaim his praise in the islands.
13The LORD will march forth like a mighty hero; he will come out like a warrior, full of fury. He will shout his battle cry and crush all his enemies.13The LORD will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.
14He will say, “I have long been silent; yes, I have restrained myself. But now, like a woman in labor, I will cry and groan and pant.14"For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant.
15I will level the mountains and hills and blight all their greenery. I will turn the rivers into dry land and will dry up all the pools.15I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools.
16I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.16I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
17But those who trust in idols, who say, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned away in shame. Israel’s Failure to Listen and See17But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame.
18“Listen, you who are deaf! Look and see, you blind!18"Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see!
19Who is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the LORD?19Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the LORD?
20You see and recognize what is right but refuse to act on it. You hear with your ears, but you don’t really listen.”20You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen."
21Because he is righteous, the LORD has exalted his glorious law.21It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.
22But his own people have been robbed and plundered, enslaved, imprisoned, and trapped. They are fair game for anyone and have no one to protect them, no one to take them back home.22But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, "Send them back."
23Who will hear these lessons from the past and see the ruin that awaits you in the future?23Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come?
24Who allowed Israel to be robbed and hurt? It was the LORD, against whom we sinned, for the people would not walk in his path, nor would they obey his law.24Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow his ways; they did not obey his law.
25Therefore, he poured out his fury on them and destroyed them in battle. They were enveloped in flames, but they still refused to understand. They were consumed by fire, but they did not learn their lesson.25So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.New International Version (NIV)

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Isaiah 41
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