The Lord desires the salvation of the whole world

18 For thus says the Lord, God indeed,

creator of the heavens,

who made the earth and fashioned it,

and also fixed it fast,

creating it not for a desert,

but fashioning it for man’s home:

‘I am the Lord, and there is none other.

19 Not in secret spake I,

nor in any land of darkness;

the offspring of Jacob I asked not

to go in vain quest of me.

I am the Lord, my words are true,

and straight are my proclamations.

20 Come, you who survive of the nations,

assemble, draw near together.

No shred of sense have they

who carry an image of wood,

and make their prayers to a god

who is impotent to save.

21 Declare and bring forward (your case),

yea, let them take counsel together:

who has announced this old,

or declared it in days gone by?

Is it not I, the Lord?

There is no other god beside me –

a righteous God, and a saviour,

and none there is beside me.

22 Look unto me and saved,

all you ends of the earth;

for I am God, and there is no other.

23 By my own self have I sworn

that to me every knee will bow,

every tongue will swear allegiance,

24 and own that the Lord alone

is the giver of strength and of victory.’

All who were furious against him

will come unto him with shame;

25 but all the descendants of Israel

will triumph and boast in the Lord.