Answers after the day of questions

Isaiah 43

Israel’s Only Savior 

1But 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 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.3For 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.4Because 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 Fear not, for I am with you;    I will bring your offspring from the east,   and from the west I will gather you.6I 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,7everyone who is called by my name,   whom I created for my glory,   whom I formed and made." 

8Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,   who are deaf, yet have ears!9 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 "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, I am the LORD,   and besides me there is no savior.12I 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.13Also henceforth I am he;   there is none who can deliver from my hand;   I work, and who can turn it back?" 

14Thus 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.15I am the LORD, your Holy One,   the Creator of Israel, your King." 16Thus says the LORD,    who makes a way in the sea,   a path in the mighty waters,17who brings forth chariot and horse,   army and warrior;they lie down, they cannot rise,    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:18 "Remember not the former things,   nor consider the things of old.19 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.20The 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, 21the people whom I formed for myselfthat they might declare my praise. 

22"Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;   but you have been weary of me, O Israel!23 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.24You 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"I, I am he    who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,   and I will not remember your sins.26Put me in remembrance; let us argue together;   set forth your case, that you may be proved right.27 Your first father sinned,   and your mediators transgressed against me.28Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary,   and deliver Jacob to utter destruction   and Israel to reviling.

以賽亞書43

1雅各啊，創造你的耶和華，以色列啊，造成你的那位，現在如此說：你不要害怕！因為我救贖了你。我曾提你的名召你，你是屬我的。2你從水中經過，我必與你同在；你逿過江河，水必不漫過你；你從火中行過，必不被燒，火燄也不著在你身上。3因為我是耶和華─你的神，是以色列的聖者─你的救主；我已經使埃及作你的贖價，使古實和西巴代替你。4因我看你為寶為尊；又因我愛你，所以我使人代替你，使列邦人替換你的生命。5不要害怕，因我與你同在；我必領你的後裔從東方來，又從西方招聚你。6我要對北方說，交出來！對南方說，不要拘留！將我的眾子從遠方帶來，將我的眾女從地極領回，7就是凡稱為我名下的人，是我為自己的榮耀創造的，是我所做成，所造作的。

8你要將有眼而瞎、有耳而聾的民都帶出來！9任憑萬國聚集；任憑眾民會合。其中誰能將此聲明，並將先前的事說給我們聽呢？他們可以帶出見證來，自顯為是；或者他們聽見便說：這是真的。10耶和華說：你們是我的見證，我所揀選的僕人。既是這樣，便可以知道，且信服我，又明白我就是耶和華。在我以前沒有真神（真：原文是造作的）；在我以後也必沒有。11惟有我是耶和華；除我以外沒有救主。12我曾指示，我曾拯救，我曾說明，並且在你們中間沒有別神。所以耶和華說：你們是我的見證。我也是神；13自從有日子以來，我就是神；誰也不能救人脫離我手。我要行事誰能阻止呢？

14耶和華─你們的救贖主、以色列的聖者如此說：因你們的緣故，我已經打發人到巴比倫去；並且我要使迦勒底人如逃民，都坐自己喜樂的船下來。15我是耶和華─你們的聖者，是創造以色列的，是你們的君王。16耶和華在滄海中開道，在大水中開路，17使車輛、馬匹、軍兵、勇士都出來，一同躺下，不再起來；他們滅沒，好像熄滅的燈火。18耶和華如此說：你們不要記念從前的事，也不要思想古時的事。19看哪，我要做一件新事；如今要發現，你們豈不知道麼？我必在曠野開道路，在沙漠開江河。20野地的走獸必尊重我；野狗和鴕鳥也必如此。因我使曠野有水，使沙漠有河，好賜給我的百姓、我的選民喝。21這百姓是我為自己所造的，好述說我的美德。

22雅各啊，你並沒有求告我；以色列啊，你倒厭煩我。23你沒有將你的羊帶來給我作燔祭，也沒有用祭物尊敬我；我沒有因供物使你服勞，也沒有因乳香使你厭煩。24你沒有用銀子為我買菖蒲，也沒有用祭物的脂油使我飽足；倒使我因你的罪惡服勞，使我因你的罪孽厭煩。25惟有我為自己的緣故塗抹你的過犯；我也不記念你的罪惡。26你要提醒我，你我可以一同辯論；你可以將你的理陳明，自顯為義。27你的始祖犯罪；你的師傅違背我。28所以，我要辱沒聖所的首領，使雅各成為咒詛，使以色列成為辱罵。