1“Hear this, O descendants of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and come from the line of Judah; who swear by the name of the LORD, and invoke the God of Israel, but not in truth or righteousness. 2They call themselves citizens of the holy city, and claim to rely upon the God of Israel; the LORD Almighty is His name. 3I have foretold the former events from long before; they were uttered by My Own mouth, and I made them known; then I acted, and they came to pass. 4Because I knew that you are obstinate, and you are as stiff-necked as iron sinew; and your forehead, bronze, 5 For this reason, I have declared it to you long before it happened - before it came to pass, so that you cannot say, ‘My idol has brought them about; my graven and molten image, has commanded these events to occur.’ 6You have heard My predictions; and seen all this; and will you not admit it? From now on, I will announce new things to you - things you did not know. 7They are created as of now, and not from long ago; you have not heard of them before, so you cannot say, ‘I knew that.’ 8I will tell you entirely new things that I never told you because for I knew how deceitful you were; and have been rebels from your birth. 9For My Own name’s sake will I defer acting upon My anger, and for the same of My praise, I will hold it back for you, and not entirely annihilate you. 10I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11For My Own sake - for My very Own sake, I will do it; because I will not allow My name be defamed. I will not share My glory with idols!”

12“Listen to Me, Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the First, and I am the Last. 13My Own hand laid the foundation of the earth; and My right hand has spread the heavens. When I call to them, they all stand up together. 14Come together, and listen: Have any of your idols ever foretold these things? The LORD has chosen Cyrus as My servant; he will do My pleasure against the Chaldeans. I will use him to put an end to the Empire of Babylon. 15I have spoken: I have indeed called him; I will bring him, and he shall succeed in his mission.”

16Come near and hear this: from the beginning (of this prophecy) I (Isaiah) have not spoken in ambiguous language; but have told you plainly. From the time that this began to unfold, I was there; and now the LORD God, and His Spirit, have sent me. 17This is what the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: “I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you what is best for you, Who directs you in the way that you should go. 18Oh, if only you had obeyed My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; 19Your descendants would have also been like the sand, and your children like the numberless grains of sand; your name should not have been blotted out nor destroyed from before Me.”

20Leave Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, announce this with shouts of joy and sing this message; shout it to the ends of the earth. Say: “The LORD has redeemed His servant, Jacob. 21They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He caused water to flow out of the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out.”

22“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “For the wicked.”