Isaiah 48 - New Century Version (NCV)

God Controls the Future

48 The Lord says, “Family of Jacob, listen to me.
You are called Israel,
and you come from the family of Judah.
You swear by the Lord’s name
and praise the God of Israel,
but you are not honest or sincere.
2 You call yourselves people of the holy city,
and you depend on the God of Israel,
who is named the Lord All-Powerful.
3 Long ago I told you what would happen.
I said these things and made them known;
suddenly I acted, and these things happened.
4 I knew you were stubborn;
your neck was like an iron muscle,
and your head was like bronze.
5 So a long time ago I told you about these things;
I told you about them before they happened
so you couldn’t say, ‘My idols did this,
and my wooden and metal statues made these things happen.’

6 “You heard and saw everything that happened,
so you should tell this news to others.
Now I will tell you about new things,
hidden things that you don’t know yet.
7 These things are happening now, not long ago;
you have not heard about them before today.
So you cannot say, ‘We already knew about that.’
8 But you have not heard me; you have not understood.
Even long ago you did not listen to me.
I knew you would surely turn against me;
you have fought against me since you were born.
9 But for my own sake I will be patient.
People will praise me for not becoming angry
and destroying you.
10 I have made you pure, but not by fire, as silver is made pure.
I have purified you by giving you troubles.
11 I do this for myself, for my own sake.
I will not let people speak evil against me,
and I will not let some god take my glory.

Israel Will Be Free

12 “People of Jacob, listen to me.
People of Israel, I have called you to be my people.
I am God;
I am the beginning and the end.
13 I made the earth with my own hands.
With my right hand I spread out the skies.
When I call them,
they come together before me.”

14 All of you, come together and listen.
None of the gods said these things would happen.
The Lord has chosen someone
to attack the Babylonians;
he will carry out his wishes against Babylon.

15 “I have spoken; I have called him.[a]
I have brought him, and I will make him successful.
16 Come to me and listen to this.
From the beginning I have spoken openly.
From the time it began, I was there.”

Now, the Lord God
has sent me with his Spirit.

17 This is what the Lord, who saves you,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you to do what is good,
who leads you in the way you should go.
18 If you had obeyed me,
you would have had peace like a full-flowing river.
Good things would have flowed to you like the waves of the sea.
19 You would have had many children,
as many as the grains of sand.
They would never have died out
nor been destroyed.”

20 My people, leave Babylon!
Run from the Babylonians!
Tell this news with shouts of joy to the people;
spread it everywhere on earth.
Say, “The Lord has saved his servants, the people of Jacob.”
21 They did not become thirsty when he led them through the deserts.
He made water flow from a rock for them.
He split the rock,
and water flowed out.

22 “There is no peace for evil people,” says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 48:15 him This probably refers to Cyrus king of Persia.

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Isaiah 48 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

48 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And from the waters of Judah came out, Who are swearing by the name of Jehovah, And of the God of Israel make mention, Not in truth nor in righteousness. 2 For from the Holy City they have been called, And on the God of Israel ...
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Isaiah 48 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

48 The house of Jacob, that be called by the name of Israel, and went out of the waters of Judah, hear these things, which swear in the name of the Lord, and have mind on God of Israel, not in truth, neither in rightfulness. (Hear ye these things, the house of Jacob, who be called by the name of Isr...
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Isaiah 48 - World English Bible (WEB)

48 “Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah.You swear by Yahweh’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness—2 for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Isr...
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Isaiah 48 - The Voice (VOICE)

48 Listen closely, you descendants of Jacob who are called Israel! Hear this, you who trace your ancestors back to Judah,Who take oaths in the name of the Eternal, and call on the God of Israel, but do so dishonestly and inappropriately:2 Your identity is wrapped up in the holy city, and you claim t...
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Isaiah 48 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Who Foretold These Things?48 Hear this, house of Jacob,who are called by the Name of Israel,who came from the wellspring of Judah,who swear by the Name of Adonaiand confess the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness.2 For they call themselves by the holy city,and lean on the God of Israel,A...
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Isaiah 48 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

God the Creator and Redeemer48 Hear this, O house of Jacob,who are called by the name of Israel, and who came forth from the loins[a] of Judah;who swear by the name of the Lord, and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.2 For they call themselves after the holy city, and stay themselv...
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Isaiah 48 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

God the Creator and Redeemer48 Hear this, O house of Jacob,who are called by the name of Israel, and who came forth from the loins[a] of Judah;who swear by the name of the Lord, and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.2 For they call themselves after the holy city, and stay themselv...
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Isaiah 48 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

God the Creator and Redeemer48 Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came forth from the loins[a] of Judah;who swear by the name of the Lord, and invoke the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.2 For they call themselves after the holy city, and lean on the G...
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Isaiah 48 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

God the Creator and Redeemer48 Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and who came forth from the loins[a] of Judah,who swear by the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel but not in truth or right.(A)2 For they call themselves after the holy city and lean on the Go...
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Isaiah 48 - New Living Translation (NLT)

God’s Stubborn People48 “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and born into the family of Judah.Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and call on the God of Israel.You don’t keep your promises,2 even though you call yourself the holy cityand talk ab...
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Isaiah 48 - New Life Version (NLV)

Israel Is Not Faithful in Following the Lord48 “Hear this, O family of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who come from the seed of Judah. They make promises in the name of the Lord, and call upon the God of Israel, but not in truth or by what is right and good. 2 For they call themse...
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Isaiah 48 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Israel Refined for God’s Glory48 “Hear this, O house of Jacob,Who are called by the name of Israel,And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah;Who swear by the name of the Lord,And make mention of the God of Israel,But (A)not in truth or in righteousness;2 For they call themselves (B)after the...
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Isaiah 48 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Stubborn Israel48 ‘Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah,you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel – but not in truth or righteousness –2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and c...
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Isaiah 48 - New International Version (NIV)

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Isaiah 48 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

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Isaiah 48 - New English Translation (NET)

The Lord Appeals to the Exiles48 Listen to this, O family of Jacob,[a]you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’and are descended from Judah,[b]who take oaths in the name of the Lord,and invoke[c] the God of Israel—but not in an honest and just manner.[d]2 Indeed, they live in the holy city;[e]they tr...
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