The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 But now, God's Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: "Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine.
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But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end -
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When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
3 Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
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For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.
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Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.
5 "So don't be afraid: I'm with you. I'll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west.
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Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.
6 I'll send orders north and south: 'Send them back. Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from faraway places.
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I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 I want them back, every last one who bears my name, every man, woman, and child Whom I created for my glory, yes, personally formed and made each one.'"
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everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
8 Get the blind and deaf out here and ready - the blind (though there's nothing wrong with their eyes) and the deaf (though there's nothing wrong with their ears).
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Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!
9 Then get the other nations out here and ready. Let's see what they have to say about this, how they account for what's happened. Let them present their expert witnesses and make their case; let them try to convince us what they say is true.
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All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true.
10 "But you are my witnesses." God's Decree. "You're my handpicked servant So that you'll come to know and trust me, understand both that I am and who I am. Previous to me there was no such thing as a god, nor will there be after me.
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"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.
11 I, yes I, am God. I'm the only Savior there is.
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I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.
12 I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene. And you know it, you're my witnesses, you're the evidence." God's Decree. "Yes, I am God.
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I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and I am God.
13 I've always been God and I always will be God. No one can take anything from me. I make; who can unmake it?" You Didn't Even Do the Minimum
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Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?"
14 God, your Redeemer, The Holy of Israel, says: "Just for you, I will march on Babylon. I'll turn the tables on the Babylonians. Instead of whooping it up, they'll be wailing.
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Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
15 I am God, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King."
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I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King."
16 This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves,
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Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,
17 The God who summons horses and chariots and armies - they lie down and then can't get up; they're snuffed out like so many candles:
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who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18 "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history.
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"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
19 Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.
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Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 Wild animals will say 'Thank you!' - the coyotes and the buzzards - Because I provided water in the desert, rivers through the sun-baked earth, Drinking water for the people I chose,
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The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.
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the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
22 "But you didn't pay a bit of attention to me, Jacob. You so quickly tired of me, Israel.
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"Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
23 You wouldn't even bring sheep for offerings in worship. You couldn't be bothered with sacrifices. It wasn't that I asked that much from you. I didn't expect expensive presents.
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You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense.
24 But you didn't even do the minimum - so stingy with me, so closefisted. Yet you haven't been stingy with your sins. You've been plenty generous with them - and I'm fed up.
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You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.
25 "But I, yes I, am the one who takes care of your sins - that's what I do. I don't keep a list of your sins.
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"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
26 "So, make your case against me. Let's have this out. Make your arguments. Prove you're in the right.
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Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.
27 Your original ancestor started the sinning, and everyone since has joined in.
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Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me.
28 That's why I had to disqualify the Temple leaders, repudiate Jacob and discredit Israel.
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Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.