Isaiah 42:1-9

New International Version

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)
²He will not shout or cry out,^(G)
    or raise his voice in the streets.
³A 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)
⁴    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)

⁵This 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:
⁶“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)
⁷to 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)

⁸“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)
⁹See, the former things^(AI) have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce^(AJ) them to you.”

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Isaiah 42:18-25

New International Version

Israel Blind and Deaf

¹⁸“Hear, you deaf;^(A)
    look, you blind, and see!
¹⁹Who is blind^(B) but my servant,^(C)
    and deaf like the messenger^(D) I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant^(E) with me,
    blind like the servant of the Lord?
²⁰You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
    your ears are open, but you do not listen.”^(F)
²¹It pleased the Lord
    for the sake^(G) of his righteousness
    to make his law^(H) great and glorious.
²²But this is a people plundered^(I) and looted,
    all of them trapped in pits^(J)
    or hidden away in prisons.^(K)
They have become plunder,
    with no one to rescue them;^(L)
they have been made loot,
    with no one to say, “Send them back.”

²³Which of you will listen to this
    or pay close attention^(M) in time to come?
²⁴Who handed Jacob over to become loot,
    and Israel to the plunderers?^(N)
Was it not the Lord,^(O)
    against whom we have sinned?
For they would not follow^(P) his ways;
    they did not obey his law.^(Q)
²⁵So he poured out on them his burning anger,^(R)
    the violence of war.
It enveloped them in flames,^(S) yet they did not understand;^(T)
    it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.^(U)