So listen now, O sinners my servants, and Israel, the one I picked. This is what the Lord who made you says, Do not be afraid.

I will pour water on the thirsty ones and floods on the dry ground.

I will pour My Spirit on your children and pour My blessings on them.

I am the first and I am the last; there is no God but Me. What I say, is what happens.

Don’t be afraid about what other ones say; just listen to Me.

They make beautiful statues to bow down to, but their statues can’t do anything. Should you bow down to a lump of metal or the stump of a tree?

They are tricked by the bad ones.

But I made you, O Israel, and I won’t forget you.

I erased like a thick cloud all your bad stuff you did.

Come back to Me because I bought you for Me.

Sing, O heavens because the Lord has done it. He erased all our bad stuff we did. He bought us back for Himself.

I made you, says the Lord. I make all things.

I spread out the heavens above your head and spread out the ground under your feet all by Myself.

I show that the bad ones are telling lies and their thinking is crazy.

I turn them around and show that what they know is silly.

But I make stand strong the words from My servant’s mouths and do what I send them to say.

All the cities of Judah well be raised up and made strong again.

I will say that Cyrus is My shepherd and will do everything I want, saying to Jerusalem, You will be built again and to the temple, Your floor will be built strong.