text:
When you're a relatively small player in the global automotive market, it might seem risky (or even pointless) to invest valuable assets in a performance model that could become an epic fail. However, a halo model capable of running with the BMW M3, Mercedes C63 AMG and Audi RS4 could conceivably alter perceptions and turn around company fortunes.
This is the quandary faced by Volvo. Recently unleashed from Ford ownership to be scooped up by Chinese manufacturer Geely, it aims to increase sales significantly, but how can they do that?
The safest route is to produce cheaper cars for the largest segments and markets. But there is another way. And one that's infinitely more fun.
How about introducing a performance model that stands shoulder to shoulder with the aforementioned heavyweights? A car with the adrenaline-pumping performance of an M3, the grip of an RS4 and the sound of, well, a Porsche 911 racecar, if we're honest!
This is what we discovered when visiting the customer training center inside the Volvo manufacturing center in Gothenburg, Sweden. As one of the only two US publications invited, we'd been offered an exclusive preview of the S60 Polestar.
Regular readers will know this Swedish company from our Volvo C30 track test in the 9/12 issue and road test in 11/11. It built the bright blue 450hp C30 AWD to celebrate its involvement with the same model in the World Touring Car series.
The company additionally provides performance software for most Volvo T5 and T6 turbo engines, available directly from your dealer without affecting the factory warranty. It even trains Volvo technicians in Sweden, and has been Volvo's motorsport partner for many years.
To coincide with the start of the new TTA Elite Racing Series, in which Polestar has entered four S60-based racecars, the company decided to build a second concept based on the S60 T6 AWD platform. "The performance road car concept is a spinoff from our work evaluating and developing the S60 for racing," said Polestar managing director Hans Bååth.
As with the previous C30, Polestar claimed its S60 could be put into production either as a limited-edition or mainstream high-performance model. As such, it probably wouldn't get the full 500hp T6 engine fitted here, and the suspension might not be as hardcore, but Polestar makes a convincing argument for a much-needed Volvo sports sedan.
When the C30 concept was introduced in 2010, many Volvo fans had apparently requested one of their own, but its custom bodywork and AWD engineering made it prohibitively expensive.
This time around, they wouldn't make the same mistake. In fact, Bååth told us there were enough parts to build ten cars for an undisclosed price. Estimates put it anywhere from $100,000 to three times that amount. But a production version need not cost that much. Early adopters would be paying for custom engine and chassis work, one-off carbon fiber panels, and to have the body dipped in the rust prevention process at the factory.
The close relationship between Volvo and Polestar sees technicians developing new software upgrades in the carmaker's powertrain department, and able to work at every level of production. As such, the S60 Polestar was designed with production in mind.
Although an independent company, Polestar makes a persuasive case for a range of high performance Volvo sports models, similar to AMG or BMW M. Perhaps all it needs is enough customers requesting such a model from their local dealer…
That said, Polestar will sell you software for an existing model, and is reportedly introducing a range of hardware, such as exhausts, suspension and wheels, later in the year.
On Track
Following its public unveiling to a crowded pit area at the Gothenburg City Track during a round of the TTA series, we were invited to Volvo's test facility to experience the car for ourselves.
Originally intended as passenger laps alongside Polestar touring car ace Robert Dahlgren, we'd come a long way not to drive ourselves. So when nobody was looking, we took a few laps.
The test track was a wretched combination of decreasing radius corners, blind brows and double apexes that would make any car understeer. This, and a lack of familiarity, made our initial laps torrid. However, we remembered our experience in the C30 Polestar where the faster you went, the better it performed.
Having been warned this example was the only complete prototype and already sold to an affluent Swede, it was unnerving to take it by the scruff, but when we did, the experience was wondrous.
Under hard acceleration, its 500hp caused the all-wheel drive system to torque steer slightly. "It used to do it more," Dahlgren admitted, "but we're constantly working to reduce it and alter the power application. When we first started, the power would arrive in a big thump, causing the chassis all kinds of problems, but we've improved the delivery with electronics to help the drivability."
While delivery may have softened, it remained hugely entertaining. Yet the track insisted you wait for its two short straights to exploit it fully. Otherwise, you were holding half-throttle around medium-speed turns for agonizing seconds. These were interrupted by dips and brows that could easily unsettle a badly sorted car.
"We've spent more than six months working solely on the suspension with Öhlins," Robert said. "We were looking for grip, comfort and rotation, altering the e-diff in the rear to change the characteristics."
Able to adjust the Haldex eLSD from 0-100% locking, Robert had dialed in his preferred lift-off oversteer to induce rotation but the engineers dialed it back to induce some initial understeer for safety.
On the track, we were able to overcome the understeer with a dab of throttle, finding the chassis very neutral mid-corner, and allowing you to promote mild oversteer out of the corners with heavier throttle application. The rear wheels would step sideways a few inches before the diff interrupted and brought everything into line. Then it was a case of holding onto the wheel to resist that torque steer as the engine hit its 22psi (1.5bar) maximum boost.
That said, the characteristics were delightful: both safe and entertaining, with just enough rotation to promote fast cornering without feeling like it was always on a knife edge. And the chosen 265/30 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires on custom 19x9.5" Polestar wheels gave high grip and were wonderfully predictable.
While the tires provided lots of feedback, Robert and the Polestar engineers had also experimented with bushings and even recalibrated a Volvo V40 steering rack. "I'd like more [feedback] but it probably won't happen," laughed Dahlgren as he described the partnership between the development team and its goals. He was determined to create a razor-sharp track machine while the engineers would tame it for regular road conditions.
Given our previous briefing, these safety margins were appreciated, but you knew everything could be overwhelmed by a hard squeeze on the throttle. And this would undoubtedly call on the final piece of the chassis puzzle: the brakes. Sporting massive 380mm front discs, clamped by six-piston Brembo calipers, they could be modulated perfectly, while giving you the ability to stop on a dime.
Trying to eek the most out of the short straights, we'd hammer on the brakes at the last possible moment, happy to discover their performance was powerful and consistent.
High horsepower allows fast entry speeds, necessitating wide tires to provide lots of grip. This simple formula resulted in widened fenders to accommodate the big Michelins. Up front, they were constructed from carbon fiber (along with the front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper, diffuser and trunk spoiler). The rear fenders were constructed from steel, along with rear door skins to blend into them. Once attached, the body was galvanized at the Volvo factory.
The extra 20mm width allowed the track to be widened 20mm front and 40mm rear. And with the car 30mm lower on its coilovers, it created an aggressive stance on the unique wheels.
With an estimated top speed in excess of 185mph, Volvo made its wind-tunnel available to verify the reduced lift offered by the new spoilers.
The use of carbon fiber, and the decision to fit a close-ratio manual transmission instead of an auto, dropped the overall weight to 3615 lb from 3812 lb. Fitting a smaller battery and other concessions also allowed them to optimize its distribution.
Painted in vibrant Polestar blue, the car is undeniably arresting. As much part of its signature as the high output and competition chassis, we can't help speculate how the car would appear in a gunmetal grey, for example. Losing some of its cartoon persona might help people view the concept differently, see it as a more viable competitor to the M3 perhaps?
In production guise, 400hp would be ample yet the tuner went for a headling-grabbing 500hp, and we're grateful it did. Its savage yet linear acceleration was accompanied by both a racecar wail and a hapless grin.
There aren't many Volvos that would make you giggle this way, but a larger Garrett turbo and modified head play their part. As does a custom exhaust manifold and 3.5" Ferrita exhaust system that give the 3.0L T6 its baritone voice. Reinforced with forged rods and fueled by Polestar software, the engine is similar to the thousands of big-turbo T6 built in barns across Sweden every winter, except this one could carry a warranty.
That manual transmission was from the S60R, modified with closer ratios for uninterrupted acceleration. Its only issue was the heavy-duty clutch installed to cope with the 424 lb-ft of torque, which made low-speed starts a challenge. Once underway it was quickly forgotten, but a production version will require lighter pedal pressure and more slippage than this on/off switch.
The short-throw lever, like the steering wheel and seats, wears a strip of alcantara to improve grip. It sits in a center console that was lowered to improve the ergonomics and it does indeed, as the cliché suggests, fall nicely to hand.
The Volvo seats have been enhanced with larger bolsters and lumbar, creating excellent support in this high-g sports sedan.
Considering the car was completed only three days before our visit, it was a remarkable testament to Polestar's expertise and the S60's versatility. In fact, this was the first time everything had been put together, with development of the engine and chassis being conducted by two different mules.
"There was so much to do in order to get everything working together," explained Dahlgren. "This car is still early in its development phase and there's plenty we can do, but we've been very close to its development for so long that it's good to get feedback from other people to help us assess where it stands. Hopefully, we'll be working on the cars until the last one is delivered because I always feel there's more we can do."
That said, the S60 Polestar had all the high production values of Germany's best tuning houses, while having obviously been built by a company with a strong motorsport background that strived to preserve some of the original Volvo sensibility. It's anything but a "sensible" car, yet it manages to feel safe and predictable, as a high-performance Volvo should. All that remains to be asked is whether Volvo Cars feels the same way we do about the prospect of a sports sedan.
Volvo S60 Polestar Concept
3.0L B6304T4 T6 inline-six with modified cylinder head and combustion chambers, inlet manifold and air intake, special connecting rods, Garrett 3171 turbo, custom exhaust manifold, Ferrita 3.5" stainless steel exhaust system, Polestar software
reinforced close-ratio M66C six-speed manual transmission, Haldex Gen4 XWD system with rear eLSD
Polestar/Brembo six-piston calipers and 380mm rotors f, Polestar/Volvo calipers and 302mm discs r, front cooling ducts
Öhlins three-way coilovers, front and rear sway bars, wider track, strut braces, modified control arms with uniballs and reinforced bushings in control arms and subframe, uprated engine mounts, Polestar-tuned V40 EHPAS steering
Wheels & Tires
19x9.5" Polestar wheels, 265/30 R19 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires
carbon fiber front spoiler, fenders, diffuser, side skirts, trunk spoiler and rear bumper, metal rear fenders and door skins
Polestar seats, alcantara on steering wheel, shift knob and seats, center console lowered
508hp at 6500rpm, 424 lb-ft at 5500rpm, 0-62mph 3.9sec, top speed 300km/h (186mph), 3615 lb


text:
19 I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set junipers in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress together,
20 so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 "Present your case," says the Lord.
"Set forth your arguments," says Jacob's King.
22 "Tell us, you idols,
what is going to happen.
Tell us what the former things were,
so that we may consider them
and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,
23 tell us what the future holds,
so we may know that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,
so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.
24 But you are less than nothing
and your works are utterly worthless;
whoever chooses you is detestable.
25 "I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes—
one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads on rulers as if they were mortar,
as if he were a potter treading the clay.
26 Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know,
or beforehand, so we could say, 'He was right'?
No one told of this,
no one foretold it,
no one heard any words from you.
27 I was the first to tell Zion, 'Look, here they are!'
I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.
28 I look but there is no one—
no one among the gods to give counsel,
no one to give answer when I ask them.
29 See, they are all false!
Their deeds amount to nothing;
their images are but wind and confusion.
42 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope."
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8 "I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you."
10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
you islands, and all who live in them.
11 Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices;
let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela sing for joy;
let them shout from the mountaintops.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord
and proclaim his praise in the islands.
13 The Lord will march out like a champion,
like a warrior he will stir up his zeal;
with a shout he will raise the battle cry
and will triumph over his enemies.
14 "For a long time I have kept silent,
I have been quiet and held myself back.
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
I cry out, I gasp and pant.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills
and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
and dry up the pools.
16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
17 But those who trust in idols,
who say to images, 'You are our gods,'
will be turned back in utter shame.
18 "Hear, you deaf;
look, you blind, and see!
19 Who is blind but my servant,
and deaf like the messenger I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant with me,
blind like the servant of the Lord?
20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
your ears are open, but you do not listen."
21 It pleased the Lord
for the sake of his righteousness
to make his law great and glorious.
22 But this is a people plundered and looted,
all of them trapped in pits
or hidden away in prisons.
They have become plunder,
with no one to rescue them;
they have been made loot,
with no one to say, "Send them back."
23 Which of you will listen to this
or pay close attention in time to come?
24 Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
and Israel to the plunderers?
Was it not the Lord,
against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow his ways;
they did not obey his law.
25 So he poured out on them his burning anger,
the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand;
it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.
43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
9 All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, "It is true."
10 "You are my witnesses," declares the Lord,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "that I am God.
13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?"
14 This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
"For your sake I will send to Babylon
and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians,[b]
in the ships in which they took pride.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel's Creator, your King."
16 This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
20 The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21 the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.
22 "Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
you have not wearied yourselves for[c] me, Israel.
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,
nor honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with grain offerings
nor wearied you with demands for incense.
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me,
or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied me with your offenses.
25 "I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.
26 Review the past for me,
let us argue the matter together;
state the case for your innocence.
27 Your first father sinned;
those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.
28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
I consigned Jacob to destruction[d]
and Israel to scorn.
44 "But now listen, Jacob, my servant,
Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 This is what the Lord says—
he who made you, who formed you in the womb,
and who will help you:
Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,
Jeshurun,[e] whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow,
like poplar trees by flowing streams.
5 Some will say, 'I belong to the Lord';
others will call themselves by the name of Jacob;
still others will write on their hand, 'The Lord's,'
and will take the name Israel.
6 "This is what the Lord says—
Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.
7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come—
yes, let them foretell what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me?
No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
9 All who make idols are nothing,
and the things they treasure are worthless.
Those who would speak up for them are blind;
they are ignorant, to their own shame.
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,
which can profit nothing?
11 People who do that will be put to shame;
such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
they will be brought down to terror and shame.
12 The blacksmith takes a tool
and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
he forges it with the might of his arm.
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint.
13 The carpenter measures with a line
and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,
human form in all its glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.
14 He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
"Ah! I am warm; I see the fire."
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
"Save me! You are my god!"
18 They know nothing, they understand nothing;
their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
"Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"
20 Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
"Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"
21 "Remember these things, Jacob,
for you, Israel, are my servant.
I have made you, you are my servant;
Israel, I will not forget you.
22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me,
for I have redeemed you."
23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, you earth beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,
you forests and all your trees,
for the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
he displays his glory in Israel.
24 "This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself,
25 who foils the signs of false prophets
and makes fools of diviners,
who overthrows the learning of the wise
and turns it into nonsense,
26 who carries out the words of his servants
and fulfills the predictions of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,'
of the towns of Judah, 'They shall be rebuilt,'
and of their ruins, 'I will restore them,'
27 who says to the watery deep, 'Be dry,
and I will dry up your streams,'
28 who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt,"
and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid."'
45 "This is what the Lord says to his anointed,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:
2 I will go before you
and will level the mountains[f];
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
3 I will give you hidden treasures,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
6 so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
people may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the Lord, do all these things.
8 "You heavens above, rain down my righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
I, the Lord, have created it.
9 "Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker,
those who are nothing but potsherds
among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
'What are you making?'
Does your work say,
'The potter has no hands'?
10 Woe to the one who says to a father,
'What have you begotten?'
or to a mother,
'What have you brought to birth?'
11 "This is what the Lord says—
the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:
Concerning things to come,
do you question me about my children,
or give me orders about the work of my hands?
12 It is I who made the earth
and created mankind on it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;
I marshaled their starry hosts.
13 I will raise up Cyrus[g] in my righteousness:
I will make all his ways straight.
He will rebuild my city
and set my exiles free,
but not for a price or reward,
says the Lord Almighty."
14 This is what the Lord says:
"The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,[h]
and those tall Sabeans—
they will come over to you
and will be yours;
they will trudge behind you,
coming over to you in chains.
They will bow down before you
and plead with you, saying,
'Surely God is with you, and there is no other;
there is no other god.'"
15 Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself,
the God and Savior of Israel.
16 All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;
they will go off into disgrace together.
17 But Israel will be saved by the Lord
with an everlasting salvation;
you will never be put to shame or disgraced,
to ages everlasting.
18 For this is what the Lord says—
he who created the heavens,
he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,
but formed it to be inhabited—
he says:
"I am the Lord,
and there is no other.
19 I have not spoken in secret,
from somewhere in a land of darkness;
I have not said to Jacob's descendants,
'Seek me in vain.'
I, the Lord, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.
20 "Gather together and come;
assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood,
who pray to gods that cannot save.
21 Declare what is to be, present it—
let them take counsel together.
Who foretold this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no God apart from me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none but me.
22 "Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
23 By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.
24 They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone
are deliverance and strength.'"
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.
25 But all the descendants of Israel
will find deliverance in the Lord
and will make their boast in him.
46 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;
their idols are borne by beasts of burden.[i]
The images that are carried about are burdensome,
a burden for the weary.
2 They stoop and bow down together;
unable to rescue the burden,
they themselves go off into captivity.
3 "Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,
all the remnant of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
and have carried since you were born.
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
5 "With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
6 Some pour out gold from their bags
and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,
and they bow down and worship it.
7 They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
From that spot it cannot move.
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;
it cannot save them from their troubles.
8 "Remember this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, 'My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.'
11 From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.
12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,
you who are now far from my righteousness.
13 I am bringing my righteousness near,
it is not far away;
and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
my splendor to Israel.
47 "Go down, sit in the dust,
Virgin Daughter Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
queen city of the Babylonians.[j]
No more will you be called
tender or delicate.
2 Take millstones and grind flour;
take off your veil.
Lift up your skirts, bare your legs,
and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness will be exposed
and your shame uncovered.
I will take vengeance;
I will spare no one."
4 Our Redeemer—the Lord Almighty is his name—
is the Holy One of Israel.
5 "Sit in silence, go into darkness,
queen city of the Babylonians;
no more will you be called
queen of kingdoms.
6 I was angry with my people
and desecrated my inheritance;
I gave them into your hand,
and you showed them no mercy.
Even on the aged
you laid a very heavy yoke.
7 You said, 'I am forever—
the eternal queen!'
But you did not consider these things
or reflect on what might happen.
8 "Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure,
lounging in your security
and saying to yourself,
'I am, and there is none besides me.
I will never be a widow
or suffer the loss of children.'
9 Both of these will overtake you
in a moment, on a single day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and all your potent spells.
10 You have trusted in your wickedness
and have said, 'No one sees me.'
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you
when you say to yourself,
'I am, and there is none besides me.'
11 Disaster will come upon you,
and you will not know how to conjure it away.
A calamity will fall upon you
that you cannot ward off with a ransom;
a catastrophe you cannot foresee
will suddenly come upon you.
12 "Keep on, then, with your magic spells
and with your many sorceries,
which you have labored at since childhood.
Perhaps you will succeed,
perhaps you will cause terror.
13 All the counsel you have received has only worn you out!
Let your astrologers come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month,
let them save you from what is coming upon you.
14 Surely they are like stubble;
the fire will burn them up.
They cannot even save themselves
from the power of the flame.
These are not coals for warmth;
this is not a fire to sit by.
15 That is all they are to you—
these you have dealt with
and labored with since childhood.
All of them go on in their error;
there is not one that can save you.
48 "Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel
and come from the line of Judah,
you who take oaths in the name of the Lord
and invoke the God of Israel—
but not in truth or righteousness—
2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city
and claim to rely on the God of Israel—
the Lord Almighty is his name:
3 I foretold the former things long ago,
my mouth announced them and I made them known;
then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
4 For I knew how stubborn you were;
your neck muscles were iron,
your forehead was bronze.
5 Therefore I told you these things long ago;
before they happened I announced them to you
so that you could not say,
'My images brought them about;
my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'
6 You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
"From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you.
7 They are created now, and not long ago;
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot say,
'Yes, I knew of them.'
8 You have neither heard nor understood;
from of old your ears have not been open.
Well do I know how treacherous you are;
you were called a rebel from birth.
9 For my own name's sake I delay my wrath;
for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you,
so as not to destroy you completely.
10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another.
12 "Listen to me, Jacob,
Israel, whom I have called:
I am he;
I am the first and I am the last.
13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth,
and my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them,
they all stand up together.
14 "Come together, all of you, and listen:
Which of the idols has foretold these things?
The Lord's chosen ally
will carry out his purpose against Babylon;
his arm will be against the Babylonians.[k]
15 I, even I, have spoken;
yes, I have called him.
I will bring him,
and he will succeed in his mission.
16 "Come near me and listen to this:
"From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret;
at the time it happens, I am there."
And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me,
endowed with his Spirit.
17 This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
"I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your well-being like the waves of the sea.
19 Your descendants would have been like the sand,
your children like its numberless grains;
their name would never be blotted out
nor destroyed from before me."
20 Leave Babylon,
flee from the Babylonians!
Announce this with shouts of joy
and proclaim it.
Send it out to the ends of the earth;
say, "The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob."
21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow for them from the rock;
he split the rock
and water gushed out.
22 "There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked."
49 Listen to me, you islands;
hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the Lord called me;
from my mother's womb he has spoken my name.
2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."
4 But I said, "I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand,
and my reward is with my God."
5 And now the Lord says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am[l] honored in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength—
6 he says:
"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."
7 This is what the Lord says—
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
"Kings will see you and stand up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
8 This is what the Lord says:
"In the time of my favor I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you;
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people,
to restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances,
9 to say to the captives, 'Come out,'
and to those in darkness, 'Be free!'
"They will feed beside the roads
and find pasture on every barren hill.
10 They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water.
11 I will turn all my mountains into roads,
and my highways will be raised up.
12 See, they will come from afar—
some from the north, some from the west,
some from the region of Aswan.[m]"
13 Shout for joy, you heavens;
rejoice, you earth;
burst into song, you mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
14 But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me."
15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.
17 Your children hasten back,
and those who laid you waste depart from you.
18 Lift up your eyes and look around;
all your children gather and come to you.
As surely as I live," declares the Lord,
"you will wear them all as ornaments;
you will put them on, like a bride.
19 "Though you were ruined and made desolate
and your land laid waste,
now you will be too small for your people,
and those who devoured you will be far away.
20 The children born during your bereavement
will yet say in your hearing,
'This place is too small for us;
give us more space to live in.'
21 Then you will say in your heart,
'Who bore me these?
I was bereaved and barren;
I was exiled and rejected.
Who brought these up?
I was left all alone,
but these—where have they come from?'"
22 This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
"See, I will beckon to the nations,
I will lift up my banner to the peoples;
they will bring your sons in their arms
and carry your daughters on their hips.
23 Kings will be your foster fathers,
and their queens your nursing mothers.
They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground;
they will lick the dust at your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
those who hope in me will not be disappointed."
24 Can plunder be taken from warriors,
or captives be rescued from the fierce[n]?
25 But this is what the Lord says:
"Yes, captives will be taken from warriors,
and plunder retrieved from the fierce;
I will contend with those who contend with you,
and your children I will save.
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;
they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.
Then all mankind will know
that I, the Lord, am your Savior,
your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
50 This is what the Lord says:
"Where is your mother's certificate of divorce
with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
did I sell you?
Because of your sins you were sold;
because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
2 When I came, why was there no one?
When I called, why was there no one to answer?
Was my arm too short to deliver you?
Do I lack the strength to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea,
I turn rivers into a desert;
their fish rot for lack of water
and die of thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with darkness
and make sackcloth its covering."
4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
5 The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;
I have not been rebellious,
I have not turned away.
6 I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting.
7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,
and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Who then will bring charges against me?
Let us face each other!
Who is my accuser?
Let him confront me!
9 It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me.
Who will condemn me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
the moths will eat them up.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let the one who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on their God.
11 But now, all you who light fires
and provide yourselves with flaming torches,
go, walk in the light of your fires
and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:
You will lie down in torment.
51 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
and who seek the Lord:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
2 look to Abraham, your father,
and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was only one man,
and I blessed him and made him many.
3 The Lord will surely comfort Zion
and will look with compassion on all her ruins;
he will make her deserts like Eden,
her wastelands like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
4 "Listen to me, my people;
hear me, my nation:
Instruction will go out from me;
my justice will become a light to the nations.
5 My righteousness draws near speedily,
my salvation is on the way,
and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
The islands will look to me
and wait in hope for my arm.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation will last forever,
my righteousness will never fail.
7 "Hear me, you who know what is right,
you people who have taken my instruction to heart:
Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
or be terrified by their insults.
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment;
the worm will devour them like wool.
But my righteousness will last forever,
my salvation through all generations."
9 Awake, awake, arm of the Lord,
clothe yourself with strength!
Awake, as in days gone by,
as in generations of old.
Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces,
who pierced that monster through?
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made a road in the depths of the sea
so that the redeemed might cross over?
11 Those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
12 "I, even I, am he who comforts you.
Who are you that you fear mere mortals,
human beings who are but grass,
13 that you forget the Lord your Maker,
who stretches out the heavens
and who lays the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror every day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14 The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;
they will not die in their dungeon,
nor will they lack bread.
15 For I am the Lord your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord Almighty is his name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you with the shadow of my hand—
I who set the heavens in place,
who laid the foundations of the earth,
and who say to Zion, 'You are my people.'"
17 Awake, awake!
Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
the cup of his wrath,
you who have drained to its dregs
the goblet that makes people stagger.
18 Among all the children she bore
there was none to guide her;
among all the children she reared
there was none to take her by the hand.
19 These double calamities have come upon you—
who can comfort you?—
ruin and destruction, famine and sword—
who can[o] console you?
20 Your children have fainted;
they lie at every street corner,
like antelope caught in a net.
They are filled with the wrath of the Lord,
with the rebuke of your God.
21 Therefore hear this, you afflicted one,
made drunk, but not with wine.
22 This is what your Sovereign Lord says,
your God, who defends his people:
"See, I have taken out of your hand
the cup that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
you will never drink again.
23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,
who said to you,
'Fall prostrate that we may walk on you.'
And you made your back like the ground,
like a street to be walked on."
52 Awake, awake, Zion,
clothe yourself with strength!
Put on your garments of splendor,
Jerusalem, the holy city.
The uncircumcised and defiled
will not enter you again.
2 Shake off your dust;
rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
Daughter Zion, now a captive.
3 For this is what the Lord says:
"You were sold for nothing,
and without money you will be redeemed."
4 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
"At first my people went down to Egypt to live;
lately, Assyria has oppressed them.
5 "And now what do I have here?" declares the Lord.
"For my people have been taken away for nothing,
and those who rule them mock,[p]"
declares the Lord.
"And all day long
my name is constantly blasphemed.
6 Therefore my people will know my name;
therefore in that day they will know
that it is I who foretold it.
Yes, it is I."
7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
"Your God reigns!"
8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion,
they will see it with their own eyes.
9 Burst into songs of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
11 Depart, depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing!
Come out from it and be pure,
you who carry the articles of the Lord's house.
12 But you will not leave in haste
or go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you,
the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The Bergholz Volunteer Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary plans a Home Party Extravaganza from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 9, with vendors from Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Longaberger, Silpada, Origami Owl and more.
A 50/50 split and door prizes also will be offered. Admission is free. The firehall is located at 2470 Niagara Road, Bergholz. For more information, call 716-525-2040.


text:
Thanks for Checking In
Ad-free Scissorcraft offers low cost subscriptions. All, large, coloring book and craft size versions of images appear after paid membership.
The same logon and pass code to scissorcraft.com gives you access to all seventeen Scissorcraft websites. Scissorcraft web sites are all listed in the blue left-hand menu under the logon box.
Does anyone not like balloons? I've never met them. I think people just naturally envy anyone who is brave or foolish enough to break the laws of gravity if only for a few hours to soar over the land for a bird's eye view. Make a pretend paper balloon race game with these balloon images or make photo frame masterpieces to hand out school photos to family, friends and relatives. Balloons make great award certificates to hand out as certification of a job well done! Decorate with Crayola Crayons or markers and hang them from the ceiling, or decorate the walls and halls, trees, office cubicle and window panes.
Balloons are popular items. Most grocery stores have a section to sell helium balloons in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some stores, such as Costco, use pretty balloon images as fund raisers for charity then they post the balloons for public view. These balloons are great subjects for coasters, place mats and table decorations. Use as photo frames for family members or print on sticky paper and make labels and name tags.


text:
Heritage Bank Basic Variable
Moneybuddy says
The Basics
Max LVR 90.00%
Interest type Variable rate
Headline interest rate p.a. 5.28%
Comparison rate p.a. 5.33%
Annual fee -
The cool stuff: features
Draw down loan progressively -
Insurance details -
Loan is Transferable -
Line of credit available No
Product suits -
The Facts & Figures
Introductory rate p.a. -
Introductory term -
Interest rate (p.a.) 1 year 5.28%
Interest rate (p.a.) 2 years 5.28%
Interest rate (p.a.) 3 years 5.28%
Interest rate (p.a.) 4 years 5.28%
Interest rate (p.a.) 5 years 5.28%
Interest rate (p.a.) 7 years 5.28%
Interest rate (p.a.) 10 years 5.28%
Interest rate (p.a.) 15 years 5.28%
Comparison rate (p.a.) 1 year 0%
Comparison rate (p.a.) 2 years -
Comparison rate (p.a.) 3 years -
Comparison rate (p.a.) 4 years -
Comparison rate (p.a.) 5 years -
Comparison rate (p.a.) 7 years -
Comparison rate (p.a.) 10 years -
Comparison rate (p.a.) 15 years -
Minimum loan term -
Maximum loan term -
Min loan amount -
Max loan amount -
Early repayments -
Redraw facility -
Repayment holiday No
Ability to split loan -
Extra repayments -
Offset account available -
Interest only payments -
The ugly stuff: fees
Application fee $600
Valuation fee -
Subsequent valuation fee -
Valuation fee details -
Discharge fee -
Discharge fee details -
Legal fee -
Settlement fee -
Redraw fee -
Comparison Rate Disclaimer -
All product information comes from the product provider or an affiliate and to the best of our knowledge is correct at time of publishing. MoneyBuddy endeavours to keep product information up to date however we cannot be responsible for changes made to this information by product providers and/or inaccurate information obtained from a product provider. We recommend that you check the accuracy of all information provided on this website with the product provider. MoneyBuddy earns a referral fee from redirecting website users to a product provider's website. Further details are provided in relation to specific product information. Website users have no obligation to apply for a product or service that they may be referred to by this website.
Warning: These comparison rates are true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate.
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text: According to the first sounds of a masterpiece you can not tell exactly which style of hip-hop culture it belongs to. Yeah guitar strings, easy-goind rhythm and fast sound bit, but still nothing understandable.. till the moment when high-quality gangsta acapella starts. It can be used as background for video, film and other installations. Best Regards, Chironet.


text: Women Provisional Training Squad 2017 April 4, 2017 Published in General News Read 21896 times Print Email Be the first to comment! Tweet Download attachments: SENIOR_WOMEN_NATIONAL_TEAM_TRAINING_SQUAD_2017_XX2.pdf (5544 Downloads) Tagged under Women Provisional Training Squad 2017 Leave a comment Make sure you enter the (*) required information where indicated. HTML code is not allowed. Message * enter your message here... Name * Email * Website URL Enter the two words you see below


text:
Find all the contact information for the LANXESS sites worldwidefind out more
Seasons change, fashions change, leather remains. LANXESS Leather (LEA) is one of the few suppliers providing the full range of chemical products necessary for the manufacture of leather: preservatives and fatliquoring agents, dyestuffs and pigments as well as the tanning and finishing auxiliaries. A Cooperation agreement with The Dow Chemical Company, formerly Rohm and Haas Company enlarges LANXESS' product range even further.
The Leather business unit is one of the leading providers of system solutions for the leather industry, from chemicals for all stages of leather production to intensive on-site technical support.
* Registered brand of Bayer AG, Leverkusen
** Trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company, USA
If you want to find out more about leather, visit the Leather business unit on our website or contact one of our global representatives.


text:
|Photo by Markus Reinhardt
I can't believe it – 2 years ago today I started this blog. Thanks once again to my friend, Kerry Scott, for pushing me to get started. I've had a lot of fun, learned a lot, documented my discoveries for future generations, and found a few cousins along the way. What a great experience this has been.
And in honor of my 2nd blogiversary, here's a photo of my REAL 2nd birthday.
My sister looks so excited to be celebrating her little sister's birthday – wonder if that was one of my gifts she was holding up or just what she's so happy about. That's Shauna Powell on the left, my sister, and Tim Jackson, our next door neighbor. And little ole me with the curly hair.
And now I'm on my way to 3!