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Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Isaiah 48:12

"People of Jacob, listen to me. People of Israel, I have called you to be my people. I am God; I am the beginning and the end.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Alpha;   God;   God Continued...;   Jesus, the Christ;   The Topic Concordance - Calling;   Creation;   Earth;   God;   Hearing;   Heaven/the Heavens;   Israel/jews;   Jesus Christ;   Judges;   Sending and Those Sent;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Christ Is God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - A;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - God;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Time;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Time, Meaning of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Alpha and Omega;   Election;   Micah, Book of;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Alpha and Omega (2);   First and Last ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - First;   Unchangeable;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for April 16;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Listen to me, Jacob,and Israel, the one called by me:I am he; I am the first,I am also the last.
Hebrew Names Version
Listen to me, O Ya`akov, and Yisra'el my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
King James Version
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
English Standard Version
"Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.
New American Standard Bible
"Listen to Me, Jacob, Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.
Amplified Bible
"Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called; I am He, I am the First, I am the Last.
World English Bible
Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Heare me, O Iaakob and Israel, my called, I am, I am the first, and I am the last.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Hear Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called;I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.
Berean Standard Bible
"Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
Contemporary English Version
Israel, my chosen people, listen to me. I alone am the Lord , the first and the last.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Listen to me, Ya‘akov; Isra'el, whom I have called: I am he who is first; I am also the last.
Darby Translation
Hearken unto me, Jacob, and [thou] Israel, my called. I [am] HE; I, the first, and I, the last.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Jacob, listen to me! Israel, I called you to be my people. So listen to me! I am the Beginning, and I am the End.
George Lamsa Translation
Hearken to me, O Jacob and Israel, whom I called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Good News Translation
The Lord says, "Listen to me, Israel, the people I have called! I am God, the first, the last, the only God!
Lexham English Bible
"Listen to me, Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am he. I am the first; also I am the last.
Literal Translation
Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel My called: I am He; I am the First; surely I am the Last.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Herken vnto me o Iacob, & Israel who I haue called. I am euen he that is, I am ye first and the last.
American Standard Version
Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Bible in Basic English
Give ear to me, Jacob, and Israel, my loved one; I am he, I am the first and I am the last.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Hearken unto Me, O Jacob, and Israel My called: I am He; I am the first, I also am the last.
King James Version (1611)
Hearken vnto me, O Iacob, and Israel my called; I am hee, I am the first, I also am the last.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Hearken vnto me O Iacob, and Israel whom I haue called: I am euen he that is, I am the first and the last.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Hear me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I call; I am the first, and I endure for ever.
English Revised Version
Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Jacob and Israel, whom Y clepe, here thou me; Y my silf, Y am the firste and Y am the laste.
Update Bible Version
Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he; I am the first, I am also the last.
Webster's Bible Translation
Hearken to me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I [am] he; I [am] the first, I also [am] the last.
New English Translation
Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I summoned! I am the one; I am present at the very beginning and at the very end.
New King James Version
"Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.
New Living Translation
"Listen to me, O family of Jacob, Israel my chosen one! I alone am God, the First and the Last.
New Life Bible
"Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel whom I called. I am He. I am the first, and I am the last.
New Revised Standard
Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Hearken unto me O Jacob, And Israel, my called one, - I, am, the Same I, the first, yea, I, the last:
Douay-Rheims Bible
Hearken to me, O Jacob, and thou Israel whom I call: I am he, I am the first, and I am the last.
Revised Standard Version
"Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am He, I am the first, and I am the last.
Young's Literal Translation
Hearken to me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called one, I [am] He, I [am] first, and I [am] last;
THE MESSAGE
"Listen, Jacob. Listen, Israel— I'm the One who named you! I'm the One. I got things started and, yes, I'll wrap them up. Earth is my work, handmade. And the skies—I made them, too, horizon to horizon. When I speak, they're on their feet, at attention.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.

Contextual Overview

9 But for my own sake I will be patient. People will praise me for not becoming angry and destroying you. 10 I have made you pure, but not by fire, as silver is made pure. I have purified you by giving you troubles. 11 I do this for myself, for my own sake. I will not let people speak evil against me, and I will not let some god take my glory. 12 "People of Jacob, listen to me. People of Israel, I have called you to be my people. I am God; I am the beginning and the end. 13 I made the earth with my own hands. With my right hand I spread out the skies. When I call them, they come together before me." 14 All of you, come together and listen. None of the gods said these things would happen. The Lord has chosen someone to attack the Babylonians; he will carry out his wishes against Babylon. 15 "I have spoken; I have called him. I have brought him, and I will make him successful.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Hearken: Isaiah 34:1, Isaiah 46:3, Isaiah 49:1, Isaiah 51:1, Isaiah 51:4, Isaiah 51:7, Isaiah 55:3, Proverbs 7:24, Proverbs 8:32

O Jacob: Three manuscripts and two old editions add avdi "my servant."

my called: Matthew 20:16, Romans 1:6, Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 1:24, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 17:14

I am he: Isaiah 41:4, Isaiah 44:6, Deuteronomy 32:39, Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:11, Revelation 1:17, Revelation 1:18, Revelation 2:8, Revelation 22:13

Reciprocal: Isaiah 41:8 - thou Isaiah 41:27 - first Jeremiah 32:17 - thou Amos 3:1 - Hear John 8:58 - I am

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When Abraham saw them, he ran from his tent to meet them. He bowed facedown on the ground before them
Genesis 19:1
The two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting near the city gate. When he saw them, he got up and went to them and bowed facedown on the ground.
Genesis 23:7
Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the Hittites.
Genesis 33:3
Jacob himself went out in front of them and bowed down flat on the ground seven times as he was walking toward his brother.
Genesis 42:6
Now Joseph was governor over Egypt. He was the one who sold the grain to people who came to buy it. So Joseph's brothers came to him and bowed facedown on the ground before him.
Exodus 20:12
"Honor your father and your mother so that you will live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is going to give you.
Exodus 34:8
Then Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped.
Leviticus 19:3
"‘You must respect your mother and father, and you must keep my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 19:32
"‘Show respect to old people; stand up in their presence. Show respect also to your God. I am the Lord .
1 Kings 2:19
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. When Solomon saw her, he stood up to meet her, then bowed down, and sat on the throne. He told some servants to bring another throne for his mother. Then she sat down at his right side.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called,.... Called before out of Egypt, and now out of Babylon, and who had the name of God called upon them, and who called upon the name of the Lord; so such who are called with a holy calling, according to the purpose and grace of God, by the Spirit and grace of Christ, unto fellowship with him, to partake of his grace here, and glory hereafter, are styled "the called of Jesus Christ", Romans 1:6 and who seems to be the person here speaking, as appears from the following clause: and it may be observed, that Jacob and Israel are described here in a different manner from what they are in the beginning of the chapter, since the Lord had declared his designs of grace towards them, and that he had chosen them, and would save them for his name's sake: which they had reason to believe he could and would do, from the account which he gives of himself: and they are called upon to hearken to him, as follows,

I am he, I am the first, and I also am the last; the everlasting I AM, the immutable Jehovah, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first cause and last end of all things; phrases expressive of the self-existence, supremacy, eternity, and immutability of Christ, Revelation 1:8, and what is it that such a sovereign, eternal and unchangeable Being cannot do?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hearken unto me - This is a solemn call on the Jews in Babylon to attend to what he was now about to say. It is the commencement of a new part of the argument, containing the assurance that he would deliver them, and utterly destroy the Chaldeans. He begins, therefore, by asserting that he is the only true God, and that he is able to accomplish all his purposes.

My called - The people whom I have chosen, or called.

I am he - I am the same; or I am the true and only God.

I am the first - (See the notes at Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 44:6).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 48:12. O Jacob - "O Jacob, my servant"] After יעקב yaakob, a MS. of Kennicott's, two of De Rossi's, and the two old editions of 1486 and 1488, add the word עבדי abdi, "my servant," which is lost out of the present text; and there is a rasure in its place in another ancient MS. The Jerusalem Talmud has the same word.

I also am the last - "I am the last"] For אף אני aph ani, "even I," two ancient MSS. and the ancient Versions, read ואני veani, "and I;" more properly.


 
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