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The Message Bible MSG
1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
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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.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
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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 -
3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
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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!
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
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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.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
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"So don't be afraid: I'm with you. I'll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
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I'll send orders north and south: 'Send them back. Return my sons from distant lands, my daughters from faraway places.
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
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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.'"
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.
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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).
9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
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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.
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
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"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.
11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.
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I, yes I, am God. I'm the only Savior there is.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
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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.
13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
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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
14 This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians,in the ships in which they took pride.
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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.
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.”
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I am God, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King."
16 This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
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This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
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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:
18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
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"Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history.
19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
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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.
20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
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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,
21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
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the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.
22 “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, Israel.
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"But you didn't pay a bit of attention to me, Jacob. You so quickly tired of me, Israel.
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense.
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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.
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses.
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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.
25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
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"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.
26 Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.
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"So, make your case against me. Let's have this out. Make your arguments. Prove you're in the right.
27 Your first father sinned; those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.
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Your original ancestor started the sinning, and everyone since has joined in.
28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple; I consigned Jacob to destruction and Israel to scorn.
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That's why I had to disqualify the Temple leaders, repudiate Jacob and discredit Israel.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.