Isaiah 41 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Be still before me, you coastlands. Let the peoples renew their strength. Let them step forward — let them speak. Let us come together for judgment.

Who stirred up someone from the east, calling him in justice to his side? He hands nations over to him and makes him trample kings. His sword turns them to dust, his bow scatters them like straw in the wind.

He chases them down, passing through unharmed, on a path his feet have never walked before.

Who has done this? Who made it happen? The one who calls each generation from the beginning. I, Yahweh — the first and the last — I am the one.

The coastlands saw it and were afraid. The ends of the earth trembled. They drew close and came together.

Each one helps the other, saying to his neighbor, "Be strong!"

The craftsman encourages the metalworker; the one who smooths with the hammer cheers on the one who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It's good!" Then they nail the idol down so it won't topple over.

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I chose, offspring of Abraham, the one I loved —

you whom I grabbed from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, "You are my servant" — I chose you. I have not rejected you.

Do not be afraid — I am with you. Do not look around in panic — I am your God. I will make you strong. I will help you. I will hold you up with my right hand of justice.

Look — everyone who rages against you will be put to shame and disgraced. Those who fight you will become nothing and disappear.

You will look for those who quarreled with you but will not find them. Those who waged war against you will become absolutely nothing.

For I, Yahweh your God, grip your right hand and say to you, "Do not be afraid — I am helping you."

Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, you tiny remnant of Israel. I am helping you," declares Yahweh, your redeemer, the one set apart unlike any other in Israel.

Look — I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with double-edged teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and turn the hills into chaff.

You will toss them in the air and the wind will carry them away; the storm will scatter them. But you — you will celebrate in Yahweh and boast in the one set apart unlike any other in Israel.

The poor and needy search for water and find none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, Yahweh, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.

I will open rivers on the bare hilltops and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and the dry ground into flowing springs.

I will plant cedar trees in the wilderness, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees. I will set cypress, elm, and pine together in the wasteland —

so that people may see and know, consider and understand together, that the hand of Yahweh has done this, that the one set apart unlike any other in Israel has created it.

"Present your case," says Yahweh. "Bring your strongest arguments," says the King of Jacob.

Let them bring their idols forward and tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the earlier things were, so we can reflect on them and know how they turned out. Or announce to us the things to come.

Tell us what the future holds — then we will know you are gods. Do something — anything — good or bad, so we can all look on in awe.

But look at you — you are nothing, and your works amount to zero. Anyone who chooses you is disgusting.

I stirred up someone from the north, and he has come — from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name. He tramples rulers like mortar, like a potter treading clay.

Who announced this from the beginning so we could know, or ahead of time so we could say, "He was right"? Not one of you announced it. Not one of you foretold it. No one heard a word from you.

I was the first to tell Zion, "Look — here they come!" I gave Jerusalem a messenger of good news.

I look, and there is no one among them — not a single counselor among them who could give an answer when I ask.

Look at them — all of them are nothing. Their works are emptiness. Their metal images are wind and waste.