Isaiah 42:21-43:4

New American Standard Bible

²¹The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake
To make the Law ^(A)great and glorious.
²²But this is a people plundered and pillaged;
All of them are ^(B)trapped in ^[a]caves,
Or are ^(C)hidden away in prisons;
They have become plunder, with no one to save them,
And spoils with no one to say, “Give them back!”

²³Who among you will listen to this?
Who will pay attention and listen in the time to come?
²⁴Who gave Jacob up for spoils, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they ^(D)were not willing to walk,
And whose Law they did not ^(E)obey?
²⁵So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the ^(F)fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not recognize it;
And it burned him, but he ^[b]^(G)paid no attention.

Israel Redeemed

43 But now, this is what the Lord says, He who is your ^(H)Creator, Jacob,
And He who ^(I)formed you, Israel:
“Do not ^(J)fear, for I have ^(K)redeemed you;
I have ^(L)called you by name; you are ^(M)Mine!
²When you ^(N)pass through the waters, ^(O)I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you ^(P)walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
³For ^(Q)I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your ^(R)Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
^[c]^(S)Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
⁴Since you are ^(T)precious in My sight,
Since you are ^(U)honored and I ^(V)love you,
I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.