Isaiah 41:4

“Who has performed and done this,Calling forth [and guiding the destinies of] the generations [of the nations] from the beginning?‘I, the Lord—the first, and with the last [existing before history began, the ever-present, unchanging God]—I am He.’”

Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.

“Who did this? Who made it happen? Who always gets things started?I did. God. I’m first on the scene. I’m also the last to leave. 5-7 “Far-flung ocean islands see it and panic. The ends of the earth are shaken. Fearfully they huddle together.They try to help each other out, making up stories in the dark.The godmakers in the workshops go into overtime production, crafting new models of no-gods,Urging one another on—‘Good job!’ ‘Great design!’— pounding in nails at the base so that the things won’t tip over. 8-10 “But you, Israel, are my servant. You’re Jacob, my first choice, descendants of my good friend Abraham.I pulled you in from all over the world, called you in from every dark corner of the earth,Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. 11-13 “Count on it: Everyone who had it in for you will end up out in the cold— real losers.Those who worked against you will end up empty-handed— nothing to show for their lives.When you go out looking for your old adversaries you won’t find them—Not a trace of your old enemies, not even a memory.That’s right. Because I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go.I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic. I’m right here to help you.’ 14-16 “Do you feel like a lowly worm, Jacob? Don’t be afraid.Feel like a fragile insect, Israel? I’ll help you.I, God, want to reassure you. The God who buys you back, The Holy of Israel.I’m transforming you from worm to harrow, from insect to iron.As a sharp-toothed harrow you’ll smooth out the mountains, turn those tough old hills into loamy soil.You’ll open the rough ground to the weather, to the blasts of sun and wind and rain.But you’ll be confident and exuberant, expansive in The Holy of Israel! 17-20 “The poor and homeless are desperate for water, their tongues parched and no water to be found.But I’m there to be found, I’m there for them, and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty.I’ll open up rivers for them on the barren hills, spout fountains in the valleys.I’ll turn the baked-clay badlands into a cool pond, the waterless waste into splashing creeks.I’ll plant the red cedar in that treeless wasteland, also acacia, myrtle, and olive.I’ll place the cypress in the desert, with plenty of oaks and pines.Everyone will see this. No one can miss it— unavoidable, indisputable evidenceThat I, God, personally did this. It’s created and signed by The Holy of Israel. 21-24 “Set out your case for your gods,” says God. “Bring your evidence,” says the King of Jacob.“Take the stand on behalf of your idols, offer arguments, assemble reasons.Spread out the facts before us so that we can assess them ourselves.Ask them, ‘If you are gods, explain what the past means— or, failing that, tell us what will happen in the future.Can’t do that? How about doing something—anything!Good or bad—whatever. Can you hurt us or help us? Do we need to be afraid?’They say nothing, because they are nothing— sham gods, no-gods, fool-making gods. 25-29 “I, God, started someone out from the north and he’s come. He was called out of the east by name.He’ll stomp the rulers into the mud the way a potter works the clay.Let me ask you, Did anyone guess that this might happen? Did anyone tell us earlier so we might confirm it with ‘Yes, he’s right!’?No one mentioned it, no one announced it, no one heard a peep out of you.But I told Zion all about this beforehand. I gave Jerusalem a preacher of good news.But around here there’s no one— no one who knows what’s going on. I ask, but no one can tell me the score.Nothing here. It’s all smoke and hot air— sham gods, hollow gods, no-gods.”

“Who has performed and accomplished it,Calling forth the generations from the beginning?‘I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last. I am He.’”

Who has made that happen? Who has carried it out? Who has created all the people who have ever lived?I, the Lord, have done it. I was with the first of them. And I will be with the last of them.”

Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning?I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.”

Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning?I, the Lord – with the first of them and with the last – I am he.’

Who has done such mighty deeds, summoning each new generation from the beginning of time?It is I, the Lord, the First and the Last. I alone am he.”

مَنْ فَعَلَ هَذَا وَأَنْجَزَهُ دَاعِياً الأَجْيَالَ مُنْذُ الْبَدْءِ؟ أَنَا الرَّبُّ. أَنَا الأَوَّلُ وَالآخِرُ.

Hvem står bagved og trækker i trådene? Det gør jeg, Herren, jeg, som kalder på mit folk fra generation til generation. Jeg var til stede ved begyndelsen, og jeg vil være der ved afslutningen.

Wer steht dahinter, wer bewirkt das alles? Es ist derselbe, der von Anfang an die Geschichte der Menschheit gelenkt hat: ich, der Herr! Vor der ersten Generation war ich schon da, und auch bei der letzten bin ich noch derselbe.«

¿Quién realizó esto? ¿Quién lo hizo posible? ¿Quién llamó a las generaciones desde el principio?Yo, el Señor, soy el primero, y seré el mismo hasta el fin».

¿Quién realizó esto? ¿Quién lo hizo posible? ¿Quién llamó a las generaciones desde el principio?Yo, el Señor, soy el primero, y seré el mismo hasta el fin».

Qui accomplit cela ? |Qui le fait arriver ?Qui appelle à la vieles générations d’hommes |dès le commencement ?Moi, l’Eternel, |moi, qui suis le premieret qui suis avec les derniers, |oui, c’est bien moi !

Sin-o bala ang naghimo sining tanan? Sin-o bala ang nagbuot sang tanan nga nagakalatabo halin pa sa una nga henerasyon? Kundi ako, ang Ginoo nga ara na sa pag-umpisa sang kalibutan kag ara man ako gihapon sa katapusan sini.

その進撃によって歴史は大きく塗り変えられる。こんな途方もなく大きなことを演出したのはだれか。それはわたし、初めであり終わりである、このわたしだ。わたしこそが主である。

누가 이런 일이 일어나게 하였느냐? [a]누가 역사의 과정을 정하였느냐? 세상이 창조되기 전에도 있었고 세상 끝날에도 있을 나 여호와가 아니냐?

Wie heeft deze machtige dingen gedaan, het leven van generaties bestuurd, terwijl zij elkaar opvolgden? Ik ben het, de Here, de eerste en de laatste, steeds dezelfde in macht.

Quem fez tudo isso?Quem chama as gerações à existência desde o princípio?Eu, o Senhor, que sou o primeiro,e que sou eu mesmo com os últimos.”

Quem é o responsável por tão célebres façanhas? É aquele que anuncia o futuro de antemão. Sou eu, o Senhor, o primeiro e o último! Eu mesmo!”

Cine a făcut şi a împlinit aceasta, chemând, de la început, generaţie după generaţie?Eu, Domnul, am fost cu cei dintâi şi tot Eu voi fi şi cu cei de pe urmă.»

Кто исполнил и совершил это? Тот, Кто вызывает поколения от начала.Я, Вечный, – с первыми из них, и с последними Я – Тот же[b].

Кто исполнил и совершил это? Тот, Кто вызывает поколения от начала.Я, Вечный, – с первыми из них, и с последними Я – Тот же[b].

Кто исполнил и совершил это? Тот, Кто вызывает поколения от начала.Я, Вечный, – с первыми из них, и с последними Я – Тот же[b].

Кто исполнил и совершил это?Тот, Кто вызывает поколения от начала.Я, Господь, – с первыми из них,и с последними – Я Тот же41:4 Букв.: «Я – Он». В словах этого стиха заключается одно из самых важных самоопределений Бога (см. 43:10, 13; 46:4). Господь есть Бог праотцев, заключивший завет со Своим народом, и Он же есть Бог прошлого, настоящего и будущего, свободный в том, как и когда Он исполнит данные людям обещания (ср. Исх. 3:14-15; 6:6-8; Иез. 20:5, 7; Отк. 4:8)..

Vem har planerat och gjort detta? Han som kallat fram människosläktena i begynnelsen, jag, Herren, som är den förste och den siste.”

ใครหนอกระทำเช่นนี้จนสำเร็จที่เป็นผู้เรียกคนในชั่วอายุต่างๆ มาตั้งแต่ต้น?เรา พระยาห์เวห์เป็นปฐมและอวสานเราคือผู้นั้น”

谁成就了这事？谁在太初就掌管历史的方向？是我耶和华，我太初就在那里，末了也在那里。

谁 行 做 成 就 这 事 ， 从 起 初 宣 召 历 代 呢 ？ 就 是 我 ─ 耶 和 华 ！ 我 是 首 先 的 ， 也 与 末 後 的 同 在 。

誰成就了這事？誰在太初就掌管歷史的方向？是我耶和華，我太初就在那裡，末了也在那裡。