The Servant’s Mission

42 “This(A) is My Servant;(B) I strengthen Him,
this is My Chosen One;(C) I delight in Him.(D)
I have put My Spirit on Him;(E)
He will bring justice[a] to the nations.(F)
He will not cry out or shout
or make His voice heard in the streets.
He will not break a bruised reed,
and He will not put out a smoldering wick;
He will faithfully bring justice.
He will not grow weak or be discouraged
until He has established justice on earth.
The islands will wait for His instruction.”(G)

This is what God, Yahweh, says—
who created the heavens and stretched them out,(H)
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,(I)
who gives breath to the people on it
and life[b] to those who walk on it(J)
“I, Yahweh, have called You
for a righteous purpose,[c](K)
and I will hold You by Your hand.(L)
I will keep You and appoint You
to be a covenant for the people(M)
and a light to the nations,(N)
in order to open blind eyes,(O)
to bring out prisoners from the dungeon,(P)
and those sitting in darkness from the prison house.
I am Yahweh, that is My name;
I will not give My glory to another(Q)
or My praise to idols.
The past events have indeed happened.
Now I declare new events;(R)
I announce them to you before they occur.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:1 DSS read His justice
  2. Isaiah 42:5 Lit spirit
  3. Isaiah 42:6 Or you by [My] righteousness; lit you in righteousness

The Servant of the Lord

42 “Here is my servant,(A) whom I uphold,
    my chosen one(B) in whom I delight;(C)
I will put my Spirit(D) on him,
    and he will bring justice(E) to the nations.(F)
He will not shout or cry out,(G)
    or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed(H) he will not break,(I)
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.(J)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;(K)
    he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice(L) on earth.
    In his teaching(M) the islands(N) will put their hope.”(O)

This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,(P) who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth(Q) with all that springs from it,(R)
    who gives breath(S) to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:
“I, the Lord, have called(T) you in righteousness;(U)
    I will take hold of your hand.(V)
I will keep(W) you and will make you
    to be a covenant(X) for the people
    and a light(Y) for the Gentiles,(Z)
to open eyes that are blind,(AA)
    to free(AB) captives from prison(AC)
    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.(AD)

“I am the Lord;(AE) that is my name!(AF)
    I will not yield my glory to another(AG)
    or my praise to idols.(AH)
See, the former things(AI) have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce(AJ) them to you.”

Read full chapter