Isaiah 49:4-6

Easy-to-Read Version

⁴ I said, “I worked hard for nothing.
    I wore myself out, but I did nothing useful.
I used all my power,
    but I did not really do anything.
So the Lord must decide what to do with me.
    He must decide my reward.”
⁵ The Lord is the one who made me in my mother’s womb,
    so that I could be his servant.
    He wanted me to lead Jacob and Israel back to him.
The Lord gives me honor.
    I get my strength from my God.

⁶ And now he says, “You are a very important servant to me.
    You must bring back to me the tribes of Jacob.
    You must bring back the people of Israel who are still alive.
But I have something else for you to do that is even more important:
    I will make you a light for the other nations.
    You will show people all over the world the way to be saved.”