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Isaiah 54
New Catholic Bible
Isaiah 54
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 54[a]
The New Zion[b]
1 Sing with happiness,
you barren woman who never bore a child.
Burst forth in shouts of joy,
you who never have been in labor.
For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife
than are the children of the wedded wife,
says the Lord.
2 Enlarge the site for your dwelling
and stretch out your tent curtains
to the greatest possible extent.
Lengthen your ropes
and strengthen your tent stakes.
3 For you will spread out
to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess the nations
and settle in the desolate cities.
4 Have no fear, for you will not be put to shame;
do not be discouraged, for you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth,
and you will no longer remember
the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Creator has now become your husband;
his name is the Lord of hosts.
The Holy One of Israel is your redeemer;
he is called the God of the entire world.
6 The Lord has called you back
like a forsaken wife grieved in spirit,
like the repudiated wife of a man’s youth,
says your God.
7 For a brief moment I did forsake you,
but with great compassion I will take you back.
8 In an outburst of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting love
I will have compassion on you,
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
9 This for me is like the days of Noah.
Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
would never again flood the earth,
so I have sworn that I never will be angry with you
and that I will never rebuke you.
10 Although the mountains may be shaken
and the hills may totter,
my steadfast love will not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace will never be shaken,
says the Lord who has compassion on you.
11 O afflicted city, storm-battered and not comforted,
I will build you with precious stones
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will use rubies to make your battlements,
jewels for your gates,
and precious stones for all your walls.
13 All of your sons will be taught by the Lord,
and great will be their prosperity.
14 With justice you will be established;
you will be free from the fear of oppression,
and no terror will afflict you.
15 Should anyone attack you,
it will not be my doing,
and anyone who does stir up strife
will fall before you.
16 It was I who created the blacksmith
to blow on the coals in the fire
and produce a weapon suitable for its purpose.
I also created the ravager
to destroy and wreak havoc.
17 No weapon used against you will prevail,
and you will refute every accusation
that is raised in court against you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
their vindication from me, says the Lord.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 54:1 The Book of Consolation ends with a song about trust and love regained.
- Isaiah 54:1 The holy city is as it were a spouse of the Lord.
Isaiah 54
New International Version
Isaiah 54
New International Version
The Future Glory of Zion
54 “Sing, barren woman,(A)
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,(B)
you who were never in labor;(C)
because more are the children(D) of the desolate(E) woman
than of her who has a husband,(F)”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,(G)
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.(H)
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants(I) will dispossess nations(J)
and settle in their desolate(K) cities.
4 “Do not be afraid;(L) you will not be put to shame.(M)
Do not fear disgrace;(N) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth(O)
and remember no more the reproach(P) of your widowhood.(Q)
5 For your Maker(R) is your husband(S)—
the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One(T) of Israel is your Redeemer;(U)
he is called the God of all the earth.(V)
6 The Lord will call you back(W)
as if you were a wife deserted(X) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,(Y)
only to be rejected,” says your God.
7 “For a brief moment(Z) I abandoned(AA) you,
but with deep compassion(AB) I will bring you back.(AC)
8 In a surge of anger(AD)
I hid(AE) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness(AF)
I will have compassion(AG) on you,”
says the Lord your Redeemer.(AH)
9 “To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.(AI)
So now I have sworn(AJ) not to be angry(AK) with you,
never to rebuke(AL) you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken(AM)
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love(AN) for you will not be shaken(AO)
nor my covenant(AP) of peace(AQ) be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion(AR) on you.
11 “Afflicted(AS) city, lashed by storms(AT) and not comforted,(AU)
I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,[a](AV)
your foundations(AW) with lapis lazuli.(AX)
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates(AY) of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,(AZ)
and great will be their peace.(BA)
14 In righteousness(BB) you will be established:(BC)
Tyranny(BD) will be far from you;
you will have nothing to fear.(BE)
Terror(BF) will be far removed;
it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender(BG) to you.
16 “See, it is I who created the blacksmith(BH)
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon(BI) fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer(BJ) to wreak havoc;
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,(BK)
and you will refute(BL) every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants(BM) of the Lord,
and this is their vindication(BN) from me,”
declares the Lord.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 54:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.