Greek Isaiah in a Year, Weeks 35 and 36 (Isa 42:22-44:20)

43 1 Καὶ νῦν οὕτως λέγει Κύριος ὁ θεός, ὁ ποιήσας σε Ἰακώβ, ὁ πλάσας σε Ἰσραήλ Μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι ἐλυτρωσάμην σε· ἐκάλεσά σε τὸ ὄνομά σου, ἐμὸς εἶ σύ. 2 καὶ ἐὰν διαβαίνῃς διʼ ὕδατος, μετὰ σοῦ εἰμι, καὶ ποταμοὶ οὐ συγκλύσουσίν σε· καὶ ἐὰν διέλθῃς διὰ πυρὸς, οὐ μὴ κατακαυθῇς, φλὸξ οὐ κατακαύσει σε. 3 ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ θεός σου, ὁ ἅγιος Ἰσραήλ, ὁ σώζων σε· ἐποίησά σου ἄλλαγμα Αἴγυπτον καὶ Αἰθιοπίαν, καὶ Σοήνην ὑπὲρ σοῦ. 4 ἀφʼ οὗ ἔντιμος ἐγένου ἐναντίον μου, ἐδοξάσθης κἀγώ σε ἠγάπησα, καὶ δώσω ἀνθρώπους πολλοὺς ὑπὲρ σοῦ καὶ ἄρχοντας ὑπὲρ τῆς κεφαλῆς σου. 5 μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι μετὰ σοῦ εἰμι· ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἄξω τὸ σπέρμα σου, καὶ ἀπὸ δυσμῶν συνάξω σε.6 ἐρῶ τῷ βορρᾷ Ἄγε, καὶ τῷ λιβί Μὴ κώλυε· ἄγε τοὺς υἱούς μου ἀπὸ γῆς πόρρωθεν, καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας μου ἀπʼ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς, 7 πάντας ὅσοι ἐπικέκληνται τῷ ὀνόματί μου. ἐν γὰρ τῇ δόξῃ μου κατεσκεύασα αὐτὸν καὶ ἔπλασα καὶ ἐποίησα αὐτόν, 8 καὶ ἐξήγαγον λαὸν τυφλόν, καὶ ὀφθαλμοί εἰσιν ὡσαύτως τυφλοί, καὶ κωφοὶ ὦτα ἔχοντες. 9 πάντα τὰ ἔθνη συνήχθησαν ἅμα, καὶ συναχθήσονται ἄρχοντες ἐξ αὐτῶν· τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ταῦτα; ἢ τὰ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν; ἀγαγέτωσαν τοὺς μάρτυρας αὐτῶν καὶ δικαιωθήτωσαν, καὶ εἰπάτωσαν ἀληθῆ, καὶ ἀκουσάτωσαν. 10 γένεσθέ μοι μάρτυρες, κἀγὼ μάρτυς, λέγει Κύριος ὁ θεός, καὶ ὁ παῖς ὃν ἐξελεξάμην, ἵνα γνῶτε καὶ πιστεύσητέ μοι, καί συνῆτε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι· ἔμπροσθέν μου οὐκ ἐγένετο ἄλλος θεός, καὶ μετʼ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔσται. 11 ἐγὼ ὁ θεός, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν παρὲξ ἐμοῦ σώζων. 12 ἀνήγγειλα καὶ ἔσωσα, ὠνείδισα καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀλλότριος· ὑμεῖς ἐμοὶ μάρτυρες, κἀγὼ μάρτυς, λέγει Κύριος ὁ θεός· 13 ἔτι ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου ἐξαιρούμενος· ποιήσω, καὶ τίς ἀποστρέψει αὐτό;

14 Οὕτως λέγει Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ λυτρούμενος ὑμᾶς, ὁ ἅγιος Ἰσραήλ Ἕνεκεν ὑμῶν ἀποστελῶ εἰς Βαβυλῶνα καὶ ἐπεγερῶ πάντας φεύγοντας, καὶ Χαλδαῖοι ἐν πλοίοις δεηθήσονται. 15 ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἅγιος ὑμῶν, ὁ καταδείξας Ἰσραὴλ βασιλέα ὑμῶν. 16 οὕτως λέγει Κύριος ὁ διδοὺς ὁδὸν ἐν θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἐν ὕδατι ἰσχυρῷ τρίβον, 17 ὁ ἐξάγων ἅρματα καὶ ἵππον καὶ ὄχλον ἰσχυρόν· ἀλλὰ ἐκοιμήθησαν καὶ οὐκ ἀναστήσονται, ἐσβέσθησαν ὡς λίνον ἐσβεσμένον. 18 <Μὴ> μνημονεύετε τὰ πρῶτα, καὶ τὰ ἀρχαῖα μὴ συλλογίζεσθε· 19 ἰδοῦ ποιῶ καινὰ ἃ νῦν ἀνατελεῖ, καὶ γνώσεσθε αὐτά. καὶ ποιήσω ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὁδὸν καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀνύδρῳ ποταμούς· 20 εὐλογήσει με τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ, σειρῆνες καὶ θυγατέρες στρουθῶν, ὅτι ἔδωκα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὕδωρ καὶ ποταμοὺς ἐν τῇ ἀνύδρῳ, ποτιῶ τὸ γένος μου τὸ ἐκλεκτόν, 21 λαόν μου ὃν περιεποιησάμην τὰς ἀρετάς μου διηγεῖσθαι. 22 οὐ νῦν ἐκάλεσά σε, Ἰακώβ, οὐ κοπιᾶσαί σε ἐποίησα, Ἰσραήλ· 23 οὐκ ἐμοὶ πρόβατα τῆς ὁλοκαρπώσεώς σου, οὐδὲ ἐν ταῖς θυσίαις σου ἐδόξασάς με, οὐδὲ ἐδούλευσας ἐν ταῖς θυσίαις σου, οὐδὲ ἔγκοπον ἐποίησά σε ἐν λιβάνῳ, 24 οὐδὲ ἐκτήσω μοι ἀργυρίου θυμίαμα, οὐδὲ στέαρ τῶν θυσιῶν σου ἐπεθύμησα, ἀλλὰ ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις σου καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀδικίαις σου προέστην σου. 25 ἐγώ εἰμι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἑξαλείφων τὰς ἀνομίας σου, καὶ οὐ μὴ μνησθήσομαι [τὰς ἀδικίας σου]. 26 σὺ δὲ μνήσθητι καὶ κριθῶμεν· λέγε σὺ τὰς ἀνομίας σου πρῶτος, ἵνα δικαιωθῇς. 27 οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες αὐτῶν ἠνόμησαν εἰς ἐμέ, 28 καὶ ἐμίαναν οἱ ἄρχοντες τὰ ἅγιά μου· καὶ ἔδωκα ἀπολέσαι Ἰακώβ, καὶ Ἰσραὴλ εἰς ὀνειδισμόν.

22 And I saw, and the people was plundered and spoiled; for the snare is in treasuries everywhere, and in houses together; where they hid themselves, they became a prey; and there was none that set free a prey, and there was none that said, Restore.

23 Who is there among you that will give ear to this? he shall hearken, for the time to come.

24 Who gave Jacob for a prey, and Israel to them that plunder him? Is it not God, before whom they sinned, and they would not walk in his ways, nor hear his law?

25 And he brought upon them the fury of his wrath, and war overpowered them, and they that set them on fire round about, and they understood not, each of them, neither laid it to heart.

43 1 And now thus saith the Lord God, who created thee, O Jacob, he that formed thee, O Israel. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine.

2 Though thou pass through water, I am with thee, and rivers shall not overwhelm thee; though thou go through fire, thou shalt not be burned, flame shall not burn thee up.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have made Egypt and Ethiopia thy ransom, and set Syene in thy stead.

4 Since thou hast become precious in my sight, thou hast been glorified, and I have loved thee; and I will give many men on behalf of thee, and rulers for thy head.

5 Fear not, for I am with thee; I will bring thy seed from the East, and will gather thee from the West:

6 I will say to the North, Bring (them); and to the South, Keep not back: bring my sons from a land afar off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth,

7 All that have been called by my name. For in my glory have I established him, and formed (him), and made him,

8 And I led forth a blind people, and their eyes are likewise blind, and they are deaf, though they have ears.

9 All the nations are gathered together, and rulers shall be gathered from among them; who shall declare these things? or who shall declare to you what was from the beginning? let them bring their witnesses, and let them be approved, and let them speak truth, and let them hear.

10 Be ye witnesses to me, and I am witness, saith the Lord God, and the servant whom I have chosen out; that ye may learn, and believe me, and understand that I am; before me there came no other God, and after me there shall be none.

11 I am God, and beside me there is no Saviour.

12 I declared, and I saved, I reproached, and there was no stranger among you; ye are my witnesses, and I am witness, saith the Lord God,

13 Even from the beginning, and there is none that delivereth out of my hands: I will do it, and who shall turn it back?

14 Thus saith the Lord God who redeemeth you, the Holy One of Israel: For your sakes will I send to Babylon, and will rouse up all that flee, and the Chaldaeans shall be bound in stocks.

15 I am the Lord God, your holy one, he that shewed forth Israel your king.

16 Thus saith the Lord, that giveth a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty water,

17 He that bringeth forth chariots, and horse, and a mighty throng; but they have lain down, and shall not arise, they are quenched as flax that is quenched:

18 Remember ye <not> the first things, and consider not the things of old.

19 Behold, I do new things which shall now arise, and ye shall learn them: and I will make a path in the desert, and rivers in the waterless land:

20 The beasts of the field shall praise me, owls, and the daughters of ostriches; because I have given water in the desert, and rivers in the waterless land, I will give my chosen race to drink,

21 My people, whom I have preserved to set forth my excellences.

22 Not now have I called thee, Jacob, nor made thee weary, Israel:

23 No sheep have I of thy offering, nor didst thou glorify me in thy sacrifices, nor serve in thy sacrifices; nor have I wearied thee with frankincense,

24 Neither didst thou buy for me incense for silver, nor did I desire the fat of thy offerings; but in thy sins and in thine unrighteousness I stood before thee.

25 I am, I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, and will not remember thine unrighteousnesses.

26 But do thou remember, and let us be judged; tell thou first thy transgressions, that thou mayest be justified.

27 Our fathers first, and their rulers transgressed against me:

28 And the rulers defiled my holy things; and I gave Jacob over to destroy (him), and Israel for a reproach.

44 1 But now hear, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I chose(out).

2 Thus said the Lord God who made thee, and he that formed thee from the womb, Thou shalt yet be helped: fear not, my servant Jacob, and my beloved Israel whom I chose out;

3 For I will give water in thirst to them that walk in a waterless place; I will put my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessings upon thy children,

4 And they shall rise up as grass among water, and as a willow by the side of a flowing water.

5 This one shall say, I am God’s, and this shall speak in the name of Jacob; and another writeth, I am God’s; upon the name of Israel.

6 Thus saith God, the King of Israel, and his deliverer, God of Hosts; I am first, and I am hereafter; except me there is no God.

7 Who is as I am? let him stand, let him call, and make ready for me, since I made man for everlasting; and let them declare to you the coming things before they come.

8 Hide not yourselves; did ye not give ear from the beginning, and I declared it to you? ye are witnesses, whether there be a God beside me; and they were not, at that time.

9 They that mould images, and that grave, are all of them vain; they that make their own delights, which shall not help them; but they shall be ashamed,

10 All they that mould a god, and grave unprofitable things:

11 And all are withered from whence they sprang, and (are) dumb from among men; let them all be gathered together, and they shall stand together, let them be turned backward and be ashamed together.

12 For the craftsman sharpeneth iron, with an adze he fashioneth it, and boreth it with a gimlet, worketh it with the arm of his strength; and he shall be hungry, and shall be faint, and lot drink water:

13 The craftsman, when he hath chosen a piece of wood, setteth it up by measure, and fitteth it together with glue; he maketh it like the form of a great man, and like the goodliness of man, to set it up in a house:

14 He cutteth wood out of the forest which the Lord planted, and the rain made it to grow,

15 That it may be for men for burning; and he taketh thereof, and is warmed; and they burn it, and bake loaves upon it; and the rest he maketh into gods, and they worship them.

16 Whereof he burneth half in the fire (and they burn them, and bake loaves upon them), and roasteth meat upon it, and eateth, and is filled: and when he is warmed, he saith, Sweet is it to me that I am warmed, and have seen fire.

17 But the rest of it he maketh a graven god, and worshippeth it, and prayeth to it, saying, Deliver me, for thou art my god.

18 They have not learnt to have understanding, for they are darkened, from seeing with their eyes, and understanding with their heart.

19 And he considereth not in his heart, nor pondereth in his soul, nor perceiveth with his understanding, that he hath burned half thereof in the fire, and baked loaves upon the ashes thereof, and roasted meat, and eaten; and made the rest of it into an abomination, and they worship it.

20 Learn ye that their heart is ashes, and they wander out of the way, and no one can deliver his soul; see, ye will not say, There is a lie in my right hand.