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Isaiah 51-53
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Isaiah 51-53
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Blessings in Store for God’s People
51 Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the Lord.
Look to the rock from which you were hewn
and to the quarry from which you were dug.(A)
2 Look to Abraham your father
and to Sarah, who bore you,
for he was but one when I called him,
but I blessed him and made him many.(B)
3 For the Lord will comfort Zion;
he will comfort all her waste places
and will make her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the Lord;
joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.(C)
4 Listen to me, my people,
and give heed to me, my nation,
for a teaching will go out from me
and my justice for a light to the peoples.(D)
5 I will bring near my deliverance swiftly;
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will rule the peoples;
the coastlands wait for me,
and for my arm they hope.(E)
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens
and look at the earth beneath,
for the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and those who live on it will die like gnats,[a]
but my salvation will be forever,
and my deliverance will never be ended.(F)
7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
you people who have my teaching in your hearts;
do not fear the reproach of others,
and do not be dismayed when they revile you.(G)
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
and the worm will eat them like wool,
but my deliverance will be forever
and my salvation to all generations.(H)
9 Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the Lord!
Awake, as in days of old,
the generations of long ago!
Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,
who pierced the dragon?(I)
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep;
who made the depths of the sea a way
for the redeemed to cross over?(J)
11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with rejoicing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.(K)
12 I, I am he who comforts you;
why then are you afraid of a mere mortal who must die,
a human being who fades like grass?(L)
13 You have forgotten the Lord, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth.
You fear continually all day long
because of the fury of the oppressor,
who is bent on destruction.
But where is the fury of the oppressor?(M)
14 The oppressed shall speedily be released;
they shall not die and go down to the Pit,
nor shall they lack bread.(N)
15 For I am the Lord your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord of hosts is his name.(O)
16 I have put my words in your mouth
and hidden you in the shadow of my hand,
stretching out[b] the heavens
and laying the foundations of the earth
and saying to Zion, “You are my people.”(P)
17 Rouse yourself, rouse yourself!
Stand up, O Jerusalem,
you who have drunk at the hand of the Lord
the cup of his wrath,
who have drunk to the dregs
the cup of staggering.(Q)
18 There is no one to guide her
among all the children she has borne;
there is no one to take her by the hand
among all the children she has brought up.(R)
19 These two things have befallen you
—who will grieve with you?—
devastation and destruction, famine and sword.
Who will comfort you?[c](S)
20 Your children have fainted;
they lie at the head of every street
like an antelope in a net;
they are full of the wrath of the Lord,
the rebuke of your God.(T)
21 Therefore hear this, you who are wounded,[d]
who are drunk but not with wine:(U)
22 Thus says your Sovereign, the Lord,
your God who pleads the cause of his people:
See, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;
you shall drink no more
from the cup of my wrath.(V)
23 And I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,
who have said to you,
“Bow down, that we may walk on you,”
and you have made your back like the ground
and like the street for them to walk on.(W)
Let Zion Rejoice
52 Awake; awake;
put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city,
for the uncircumcised and the unclean
shall enter you no more.(X)
2 Shake yourself from the dust; rise up,
O captive[e] Jerusalem;
loose the bonds from your neck,
O captive daughter Zion!(Y)
3 For thus says the Lord: You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.(Z) 4 For thus says the Lord God: Long ago, my people went down into Egypt to reside there as aliens; the Assyrian, too, has oppressed them without cause.(AA) 5 Now therefore what am I doing here, says the Lord, seeing that my people are taken away without cause? Their rulers howl, says the Lord, and continually, all day long, my name is despised.(AB) 6 Therefore my people shall know my name; on[f] that day they shall know that it is I who speak—it is I!(AC)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”(AD)
8 Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices;
together they shout for joy,
for in plain sight they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.(AE)
9 Break forth; shout together for joy,
you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people;
he has redeemed Jerusalem.(AF)
10 The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.(AG)
11 Depart, depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing;
go out from the midst of it; purify yourselves,
you who carry the vessels of the Lord.(AH)
12 For you shall not go out in haste,
and you shall not go in flight,
for the Lord will go before you,
and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.(AI)
The Suffering Servant
13 See, my servant shall prosper;
he shall be exalted and lifted up
and shall be very high.(AJ)
14 Just as there were many who were astonished at him[g]
—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of mortals—(AK)
15 so he shall startle[h] many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.(AL)
53 Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?(AM)
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.(AN)
3 He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering[i] and acquainted with infirmity,
and as one from whom others hide their faces[j]
he was despised, and we held him of no account.(AO)
4 Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases,
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.(AP)
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.(AQ)
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.(AR)
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.(AS)
8 By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people.(AT)
9 They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb[k] with the rich,[l]
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.(AU)
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with affliction.
When you make his life an offering for sin,[m]
he shall see his offspring and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.(AV)
11 Out of his anguish he shall see;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one,[n] my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.(AW)
12 Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out himself to death
and was numbered with the transgressors,
yet he bore the sin of many
and made intercession for the transgressors.(AX)
Footnotes
- 51.6 Or in like manner
- 51.16 Syr: Heb planting
- 51.19 Q ms Gk Syr Vg: MT how may I comfort you?
- 51.21 Or humbled
- 52.2 Cn: Heb rise up, sit
- 52.6 Q ms Syr Vg Tg: MT therefore on
- 52.14 Syr Tg: Heb you
- 52.15 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 53.3 Or a man of sorrows
- 53.3 Or as one who hides his face from us
- 53.9 Q ms: MT and in his death
- 53.9 Cn: Heb with a rich person
- 53.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 53.11 Or and he shall find satisfaction. Through his knowledge, the righteous one
Isaiah 51-53
New International Version
Isaiah 51-53
New International Version
Everlasting Salvation for Zion
51 “Listen(A) to me, you who pursue righteousness(B)
and who seek(C) the Lord:
Look to the rock(D) from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
2 look to Abraham,(E) 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.(F)
3 The Lord will surely comfort(G) Zion(H)
and will look with compassion on all her ruins;(I)
he will make her deserts like Eden,(J)
her wastelands(K) like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness(L) will be found in her,
thanksgiving(M) and the sound of singing.
4 “Listen to me, my people;(N)
hear me,(O) my nation:
Instruction(P) will go out from me;
my justice(Q) will become a light to the nations.(R)
5 My righteousness draws near speedily,
my salvation(S) is on the way,(T)
and my arm(U) will bring justice to the nations.
The islands(V) will look to me
and wait in hope(W) for my arm.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke,(X)
the earth will wear out like a garment(Y)
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation(Z) will last forever,(AA)
my righteousness will never fail.(AB)
7 “Hear me, you who know what is right,(AC)
you people who have taken my instruction to heart:(AD)
Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
or be terrified by their insults.(AE)
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment;(AF)
the worm(AG) will devour them like wool.
But my righteousness will last forever,(AH)
my salvation through all generations.”
9 Awake, awake,(AI) arm(AJ) of the Lord,
clothe yourself with strength!(AK)
Awake, as in days gone by,
as in generations of old.(AL)
Was it not you who cut Rahab(AM) to pieces,
who pierced that monster(AN) through?
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,(AO)
the waters of the great deep,(AP)
who made a road in the depths of the sea(AQ)
so that the redeemed(AR) might cross over?
11 Those the Lord has rescued(AS) will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;(AT)
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy(AU) will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.(AV)
12 “I, even I, am he who comforts(AW) you.
Who are you that you fear(AX) mere mortals,(AY)
human beings who are but grass,(AZ)
13 that you forget(BA) the Lord your Maker,(BB)
who stretches out the heavens(BC)
and who lays the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror(BD) every day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?(BE)
14 The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;(BF)
they will not die in their dungeon,
nor will they lack bread.(BG)
15 For I am the Lord your God,
who stirs up the sea(BH) so that its waves roar(BI)—
the Lord Almighty(BJ) is his name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth(BK)
and covered you with the shadow of my hand(BL)—
I who set the heavens in place,
who laid the foundations of the earth,(BM)
and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.(BN)’”
The Cup of the Lord’s Wrath
17 Awake, awake!(BO)
Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
the cup(BP) of his wrath,(BQ)
you who have drained to its dregs(BR)
the goblet that makes people stagger.(BS)
18 Among all the children(BT) she bore
there was none to guide her;(BU)
among all the children she reared
there was none to take her by the hand.(BV)
19 These double calamities(BW) have come upon you—
who can comfort you?(BX)—
ruin and destruction,(BY) famine(BZ) and sword(CA)—
who can[a] console you?
20 Your children have fainted;
they lie at every street corner,(CB)
like antelope caught in a net.(CC)
They are filled with the wrath(CD) of the Lord,
with the rebuke(CE) of your God.
21 Therefore hear this, you afflicted(CF) one,
made drunk,(CG) but not with wine.
22 This is what your Sovereign Lord says,
your God, who defends(CH) his people:
“See, I have taken out of your hand
the cup(CI) 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,(CJ)
who said to you,
‘Fall prostrate(CK) that we may walk(CL) on you.’
And you made your back like the ground,
like a street to be walked on.”(CM)
52 Awake, awake,(CN) Zion,
clothe yourself with strength!(CO)
Put on your garments of splendor,(CP)
Jerusalem, the holy city.(CQ)
The uncircumcised(CR) and defiled(CS)
will not enter you again.(CT)
2 Shake off your dust;(CU)
rise up,(CV) sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,(CW)
Daughter Zion,(CX) now a captive.
3 For this is what the Lord says:
4 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
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,[b]”
declares the Lord.
“And all day long
my name is constantly blasphemed.(DD)
6 Therefore my people will know(DE) my name;(DF)
therefore in that day(DG) they will know
that it is I who foretold(DH) it.
Yes, it is I.”
7 How beautiful on the mountains(DI)
are the feet of those who bring good news,(DJ)
who proclaim peace,(DK)
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”(DL)
8 Listen! Your watchmen(DM) lift up their voices;(DN)
together they shout for joy.(DO)
When the Lord returns(DP) to Zion,(DQ)
they will see it with their own eyes.
9 Burst into songs of joy(DR) together,
you ruins(DS) of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted(DT) his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.(DU)
10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm(DV)
in the sight of all the nations,(DW)
and all the ends of the earth(DX) will see
the salvation(DY) of our God.
11 Depart,(DZ) depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing!(EA)
Come out from it and be pure,(EB)
you who carry the articles(EC) of the Lord’s house.
12 But you will not leave in haste(ED)
or go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you,(EE)
the God of Israel will be your rear guard.(EF)
The Suffering and Glory of the Servant
13 See, my servant(EG) will act wisely[c];
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.(EH)
14 Just as there were many who were appalled(EI) at him[d]—
his appearance was so disfigured(EJ) beyond that of any human being
and his form marred beyond human likeness(EK)—
15 so he will sprinkle(EL) many nations,[e]
and kings(EM) will shut their mouths(EN) because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.(EO)
53 Who has believed our message(EP)
and to whom has the arm(EQ) of the Lord been revealed?(ER)
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,(ES)
and like a root(ET) out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance(EU) that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering,(EV) and familiar with pain.(EW)
Like one from whom people hide(EX) their faces
he was despised,(EY) and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,(EZ)
yet we considered him punished by God,(FA)
stricken by him, and afflicted.(FB)
5 But he was pierced(FC) for our transgressions,(FD)
he was crushed(FE) for our iniquities;
the punishment(FF) that brought us peace(FG) was on him,
and by his wounds(FH) we are healed.(FI)
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,(FJ)
each of us has turned to our own way;(FK)
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity(FL) of us all.
7 He was oppressed(FM) and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;(FN)
he was led like a lamb(FO) to the slaughter,(FP)
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression[f] and judgment(FQ) he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;(FR)
for the transgression(FS) of my people he was punished.[g]
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,(FT)
and with the rich(FU) in his death,
though he had done no violence,(FV)
nor was any deceit in his mouth.(FW)
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will(FX) to crush(FY) him and cause him to suffer,(FZ)
and though the Lord makes[h] his life an offering for sin,(GA)
he will see his offspring(GB) and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper(GC) in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,(GD)
he will see the light(GE) of life[i] and be satisfied[j];
by his knowledge[k] my righteous servant(GF) will justify(GG) many,
and he will bear their iniquities.(GH)
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[l](GI)
and he will divide the spoils(GJ) with the strong,[m]
because he poured out his life unto death,(GK)
and was numbered with the transgressors.(GL)
For he bore(GM) the sin of many,(GN)
and made intercession(GO) for the transgressors.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 51:19 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text / how can I
- Isaiah 52:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Vulgate; Masoretic Text wail
- Isaiah 52:13 Or will prosper
- Isaiah 52:14 Hebrew you
- Isaiah 52:15 Or so will many nations be amazed at him (see also Septuagint)
- Isaiah 53:8 Or From arrest
- Isaiah 53:8 Or generation considered / that he was cut off from the land of the living, / that he was punished for the transgression of my people?
- Isaiah 53:10 Hebrew though you make
- Isaiah 53:11 Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have the light of life.
- Isaiah 53:11 Or (with Masoretic Text) 11 He will see the fruit of his suffering / and will be satisfied
- Isaiah 53:11 Or by knowledge of him
- Isaiah 53:12 Or many
- Isaiah 53:12 Or numerous
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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