1. This is what the Lord said to Cyrus, his chosen king: “I took you by your right hand to help you defeat nations, to strip other kings of their power, and to open city gates that will not be closed again.
2. I will go in front of you and make the mountains flat. I will break the city gates of bronze and cut the iron bars on the gates.
3. I will give you the wealth that is stored in secret places. I will give you those hidden treasures. Then you will know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
4. I do this for my servant, Jacob. I do it for my chosen people, Israel. Cyrus, I am calling you by name. You don’t know me, but I know you.
5. I am the Lord, the only God. There is no other God except me. I put your clothes on you, but still you don’t know me.
6. I am doing this so that everyone will know that I am the only God. From the east to the west, people will know that I am the Lord and that there is no other God.
7. I made the light and the darkness. I bring peace, and I cause trouble. I, the Lord, do all these things.
8. “May the clouds in the skies above pour goodness on the earth like rain. May the earth open up to let salvation grow. And may goodness grow with that salvation, which I, the Lord, created.
9. “Look at these people! They are arguing with the one who made them. Look at them argue with me. They are like pieces of clay from a broken pot. Clay does not say to the one molding it, ‘Man, what are you doing?’ Things that are made don’t have the power to question the one who makes them.
10. A father gives life to his children, and they cannot ask, ‘Why are you giving me life?’ They cannot question their mother and ask, ‘Why are you giving birth to me?’”
11. The Lord God is the Holy One of Israel. He created Israel, and he says, “My children, you asked me to show you a sign. You told me to show you what I have done.