I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
Parallel translations
- WEB I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.
- KJV Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
- NKJV Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
- NASB Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
- NLT Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God declares the end from the beginning; his counsel will stand and he does all he pleases. His sovereign plan cannot be thwarted.
Overview
This is a cornerstone text on divine sovereignty: God announces outcomes in advance because he ordains them, and his purpose will certainly stand. Only the true God knows and governs the future. Such providence assures believers that the redemptive plan accomplished in Christ was settled from eternity and cannot fail.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 24
- Prov 19:21Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Ps 33:11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.
- Eph 1:9–11And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
- Isa 43:13Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
- Isa 45:21Speak up and present your case—yes, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is none but Me.
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Ps 135:6The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths.
- Isa 44:7Who then is like Me? Let him say so! Let him declare his case before Me, since I established an ancient people. Let him foretell the things to come, and what is to take place.
- Acts 5:39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
- Isa 46:11I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
- Heb 6:17So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.
- Dan 4:35All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
- Acts 4:27–28In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.
- Rom 11:33–34O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
- Gen 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
- Num 24:17–24I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.
- Gen 12:2–3I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
- Acts 15:18that have been known for ages.’
- Deut 4:24–31For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
- Isa 41:22–23“Let them come and tell us what will happen. Tell the former things, so that we may reflect on them and know the outcome. Or announce to us what is coming.
- Gen 3:15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
- Deut 28:15–68If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
- Gen 49:22–26Joseph is a fruitful vine—a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall.
- Acts 3:23Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 46:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.