Isaiah 48

All 22 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1Listen to this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and have come forth from the waters of Judah. You swear by the name of the LORD and mention the God of Israel, but not in truth or righteousness.
2. 2You call yourselves citizens of the holy city and claim to rely on the God of Israel; the LORD of hosts is his name.
3. 3"Long ago I announced what would happen. The words came from my mouth, and I made them known. Then suddenly I acted, and everything came to pass.
4. 4I did this because I knew how stubborn you are — your neck is stiff as an iron bar, and your forehead is hard as bronze.
5. 5So I told you about these things long before they happened. I showed you in advance, so you could never say, 'My idol did this,' or 'My carved image and metal statue made this happen.'
6. 6You have heard; see all this. And will you not declare it? From this time I have shown you new things, even hidden things, and you did not know them.
7. 7These are being created right now, not long ago. Before today you never heard of them, so you can't say, 'Oh, I already knew about that.'
8. 8No, you didn't hear. You didn't know. Your ears have never been open to these things. I knew full well how treacherous you are — you've been called a rebel since the day you were born.
9. 9For my name's sake, I will hold back my anger, and for my praise, I will restrain myself for you, so that I do not cut you off.
10. 10Look — I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
11. 11For my own sake — yes, for my own sake — I will act. Why should I let my name be dishonored? I will not hand my glory over to anyone else.
12. 12"Listen to me, Jacob — Israel, the one I called. I am the one. I am the first, and I am the last.
13. 13My own hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand stretched out the heavens. When I summon them, they all stand at attention together.
14. 14All of you, gather together and listen! Which among them has declared these things? The LORD has loved him: he will carry out his purpose against Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.
15. 15I myself have spoken. I called him, I brought him here, and he will succeed in everything he does.
16. 16"Come close to me and hear this: From the very beginning, I have never spoken in secret. From the moment these things began to unfold, I was there." And now the Lord GOD has sent me, along with his Spirit.
17. 17This is what the LORD says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to benefit, who guides you along the path you should follow."
18. 18If only you had listened to my commands! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19. 19Your descendants would have been as countless as grains of sand, and the offspring of your body like the gravel. Your name would never have been cut off or destroyed from my presence.
20. 20Leave Babylon! Escape from the Chaldeans! Shout it with joy, announce it, spread the word to the ends of the earth: "The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!"
21. 21They didn't go thirsty when he led them through the deserts. He made water flow from the rock for them — he split the rock open and water came gushing out.
22. 22"There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked."