¹⁸ For this is what the Lord says—
he who created the heavens,
    he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,^(A)
    he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,^(B)
    but formed it to be inhabited^(C)—
he says:
“I am the Lord,
    and there is no other.^(D)
19 I have not spoken in secret,^(E)
    from somewhere in a land of darkness;^(F)
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,^(G)
    ‘Seek^(H) me in vain.’
I, the Lord, speak the truth;
    I declare what is right.^(I)

²⁰ “Gather together^(J) and come;
    assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant^(K) are those who carry^(L) about idols of wood,
    who pray to gods that cannot save.^(M)
21 Declare what is to be, present it—
    let them take counsel together.
Who foretold^(N) this long ago,
    who declared it from the distant past?^(O)
Was it not I, the Lord?
    And there is no God apart from me,^(P)
a righteous God^(Q) and a Savior;^(R)
    there is none but me.

²² “Turn^(S) to me and be saved,^(T)
    all you ends of the earth;^(U)
    for I am God, and there is no other.^(V)
23 By myself I have sworn,^(W)
    my mouth has uttered in all integrity^(X)
    a word that will not be revoked:^(Y)
Before me every knee will bow;^(Z)
    by me every tongue will swear.^(AA)
24 They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
    are deliverance^(AB) and strength.^(AC)’”
All who have raged against him
    will come to him and be put to shame.^(AD)
25 But all the descendants^(AE) of Israel
    will find deliverance^(AF) in the Lord
    and will make their boast in him.^(AG)