Cyrus, God's Instrument
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Thus says the LORD to 1his anointed, to Cyrus, 2whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and 3to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:
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"I will go before you and 4level the exalted places,a 5I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron,
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6I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, 7who call you by your name.
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For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, 8I call you by your name, 9I name you, though you do not know me.
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10I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; 11I equip you, though you do not know me,
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12that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.
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I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and 13create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things.
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14"Shower, O heavens, from above, and 15let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it.
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16"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! 17Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'?
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Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' or to a woman, 'With what are you in labor?'"
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Thus says 18the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: 19"Ask me of things to come; will you command me 20concerning my children and 21the work of my hands?b
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22I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands 23that stretched out the heavens, and 24I commanded all their host.
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25I have stirred him up in righteousness, 26and I will make all his ways level; 27he shall build my city 28and set my exiles free, not for price or reward," says the LORD of hosts.
The Lord, the Only Savior
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Thus says the LORD: 29"The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you 30and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: 'Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.'"
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31Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
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32All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together.
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But Israel is saved by the LORD with everlasting salvation; 33you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity.
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34For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he 35did not create it empty, 36he formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the LORD, and there is no other.
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37I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 38'Seek me in vain.'c I the LORD speak 39the truth; I declare what is right.
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40"Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! 41They have no knowledge who 42carry about their wooden idols, 43and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.
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44Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God 45and a Savior; there is none besides me.
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"Turn to me and be saved, 46all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
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47By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in 48righteousness a word that shall not return: 49'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'d
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50"Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and 51strength; to him shall come and be ashamed 52all who were incensed against him.
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In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)