Isaiah 49:1-6

1Listen to me, you islands. Listen carefully, you people who live far away. The Lord called me to serve him before I was born. Before my mother gave birth, he used my name to speak to me.

2The message that he gave me to speak was like a sharp sword. He kept me safe in his hand. He made me like a sharp arrow that he keeps safe and ready to use.

3He said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel. Because of you, I will cause people to know that I am great.’

4I said, ‘My work has been useless. I have worked hard with no results.’ But the Lord will do what is right for me. He will give me what I deserve for my work.

5The Lord chose me to be his servant, even before I was born. He chose me to bring Jacob's descendants back to himself. He chose me to bring Israel's people together to serve him. As a result, the Lord will honour me. He is the one who makes me strong. The Lord, my God, says,

6‘As my servant, I have a greater job for you to do. It will not only be to make Jacob's tribes strong again. It will not only be to bring back Israel's people that I have kept safe. It will also be your job to bring light to the other nations. You will show people all over the world that I have the power to save them.’