The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

13 See, my servant(A) will act wisely[a];
    he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.(B)
14 Just as there were many who were appalled(C) at him[b]
    his appearance was so disfigured(D) beyond that of any human being
    and his form marred beyond human likeness(E)
15 so he will sprinkle(F) many nations,[c]
    and kings(G) will shut their mouths(H) because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
    and what they have not heard, they will understand.(I)

53 Who has believed our message(J)
    and to whom has the arm(K) of the Lord been revealed?(L)
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,(M)
    and like a root(N) out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance(O) that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering,(P) and familiar with pain.(Q)
Like one from whom people hide(R) their faces
    he was despised,(S) and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,(T)
yet we considered him punished by God,(U)
    stricken by him, and afflicted.(V)
But he was pierced(W) for our transgressions,(X)
    he was crushed(Y) for our iniquities;
the punishment(Z) that brought us peace(AA) was on him,
    and by his wounds(AB) we are healed.(AC)
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,(AD)
    each of us has turned to our own way;(AE)
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity(AF) of us all.

He was oppressed(AG) and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;(AH)
he was led like a lamb(AI) to the slaughter,(AJ)
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression[d] and judgment(AK) he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;(AL)
    for the transgression(AM) of my people he was punished.[e]
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,(AN)
    and with the rich(AO) in his death,
though he had done no violence,(AP)
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.(AQ)

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will(AR) to crush(AS) him and cause him to suffer,(AT)
    and though the Lord makes[f] his life an offering for sin,(AU)
he will see his offspring(AV) and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper(AW) in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,(AX)
    he will see the light(AY) of life[g] and be satisfied[h];
by his knowledge[i] my righteous servant(AZ) will justify(BA) many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.(BB)
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[j](BC)
    and he will divide the spoils(BD) with the strong,[k]
because he poured out his life unto death,(BE)
    and was numbered with the transgressors.(BF)
For he bore(BG) the sin of many,(BH)
    and made intercession(BI) for the transgressors.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 52:13 Or will prosper
  2. Isaiah 52:14 Hebrew you
  3. Isaiah 52:15 Or so will many nations be amazed at him (see also Septuagint)
  4. Isaiah 53:8 Or From arrest
  5. 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?
  6. Isaiah 53:10 Hebrew though you make
  7. Isaiah 53:11 Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have the light of life.
  8. Isaiah 53:11 Or (with Masoretic Text) 11 He will see the fruit of his suffering / and will be satisfied
  9. Isaiah 53:11 Or by knowledge of him
  10. Isaiah 53:12 Or many
  11. Isaiah 53:12 Or numerous

The Exalted Servant

13 Behold, My (A)Servant will prosper,
He will be high and lifted up and [a]greatly (B)exalted.
14 Just as many were appalled at you, My people,
So His (C)appearance was marred beyond that of a man,
And His form beyond the sons of mankind.
15 So [b]He will (D)sprinkle many nations,
Kings will (E)shut their mouths on account of Him;
For (F)what they had not been told, they will see,
And what they had not heard, they will understand.

The Suffering Servant

53 (G)Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He grew up before Him like a (H)tender [c]shoot,
And like a root out of dry ground;
He has (I)no stately form or majesty
That we would look at Him,
Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him.
He was (J)despised and abandoned by men,
A man of [d]great pain and (K)familiar with sickness;
And like one from whom people hide their faces,
He was (L)despised, and we had no (M)regard for Him.

However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself (N)bore,
And our pains that He carried;
Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted,
Struck down by (O)God, and humiliated.
But He was [e]pierced for (P)our offenses,
He was crushed for (Q)our wrongdoings;
The (R)punishment for our [f]well-being was laid upon Him,
And by (S)His wounds we are healed.
All of us, like sheep, have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all
To [g]fall on Him.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
Yet He did not (T)open His mouth;
(U)Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off from the land of the [h]living
(V)For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due?
And His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a (W)rich man in His death,
(X)Because He had (Y)done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10 But the Lord desired
To (Z)crush Him, [i](AA)causing Him grief;
If He renders [j]Himself as a guilt (AB)offering,
He will see (AC)His [k]offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the [l]good (AD)pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the [m]anguish of His soul,
He will [n](AE)see it and be satisfied;
By His (AF)knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
For He will (AG)bear their wrongdoings.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a (AH)portion with the great,
And He will divide the plunder with the strong,
Because He poured out His [o](AI)life unto death,
And was (AJ)counted with wrongdoers;
Yet He Himself (AK)bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the wrongdoers.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 52:13 Or very high
  2. Isaiah 52:15 LXX many nations will wonder at Him
  3. Isaiah 53:2 Lit suckling
  4. Isaiah 53:3 Lit pains
  5. Isaiah 53:5 Or wounded
  6. Isaiah 53:5 Or peace
  7. Isaiah 53:6 Lit encounter Him
  8. Isaiah 53:8 Or life
  9. Isaiah 53:10 Lit He made Him sick
  10. Isaiah 53:10 Lit His soul
  11. Isaiah 53:10 Lit seed
  12. Isaiah 53:10 Or will of
  13. Isaiah 53:11 Or trouble
  14. Isaiah 53:11 DSS see light; LXX also has light
  15. Isaiah 53:12 Lit soul

The Exalted Servant

13 
Indeed, My Servant (the Messiah) will act wisely and prosper;
He will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted.
14 
Just as many were astonished and appalled at you, My people,
So His appearance was marred more than any man
And His form [marred] more than the sons of men.
15 
So He will sprinkle many nations [with His blood, providing salvation],
Kings will shut their mouths because of Him;
For what they had not been told they will see,
And what they had not heard they will understand.(A)

The Suffering Servant

53 Who has believed [confidently trusted in, relied on, and adhered to] our message [of salvation]?(B)
And to whom [if not us] has the arm and infinite power of the Lord been revealed?(C)

For He [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender shoot (plant),
And like a root out of dry ground;
He has no stately form or majestic splendor
That we would look at Him,
Nor [handsome] appearance that we would [a]be attracted to Him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief;
And like One from whom men hide their faces
He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or esteem Him.


But [in fact] He has borne our griefs,
And He has carried our sorrows and pains;
Yet we [ignorantly] assumed that He was stricken,
Struck down by God and degraded and humiliated [by Him].(D)

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing];
The punishment [required] for our well-being fell on Him,
And by His stripes (wounds) we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray,
We have turned, each one, to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing]
To fall on Him [instead of us].(E)


He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth [to complain or defend Himself];
Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before her shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.

[b]After oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And [c]as for His generation [His contemporaries], who [among them] concerned himself with the fact
That He was cut off from the land of the living [by His death]
For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke [of death] was due?

His grave was assigned with the wicked,
But He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.(F)

10 
Yet the Lord was [d]willing
To crush Him, [e]causing Him to suffer;
If [f]He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin],
He shall see His [spiritual] offspring,
He shall prolong His days,
And the will (good pleasure) of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand.
11 
As a result of the [g]anguish of His soul,
He shall see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge [of what He has accomplished] the Righteous One,
My Servant, shall justify the many [making them righteous—upright before God, in right standing with Him],
For He shall bear [the responsibility for] their sins.
12 
Therefore, I will divide and give Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers],
And He shall divide the spoils with the mighty,
Because He [willingly] poured out His life to death,
And was counted among the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore and took away the sin of many,
And interceded [with the Father] for the transgressors.(G)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 53:2 Lit take pleasure in.
  2. Isaiah 53:8 Or Due to.
  3. Isaiah 53:8 Or who will explain to His generation.
  4. Isaiah 53:10 Or pleased.
  5. Isaiah 53:10 Lit He made Him sick.
  6. Isaiah 53:10 Or His soul presents an offering.
  7. Isaiah 53:11 Lit trouble.

13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

The Suffering Servant

13 The Lord says:
    My servant will succeed!
He will be given great praise
    and the highest honors.
14 Many were horrified
    at what happened to him.[a]
But everyone who saw him
    was even more horrified
because he suffered until
    he no longer looked human.[b]
15 (A) My servant will make
nations worthy to worship me;[c]
    kings will be silent
    as they bow in wonder.[d]
They will see and think about
things they have never seen
    or thought about before.

What God's Servant Did for Us

53 (B) Has anyone believed us
or seen the mighty power
    of the Lord in action?
Like a young plant or a root
    that sprouts in dry ground,
the servant grew up
    obeying the Lord.
He wasn't some handsome king.
Nothing about the way he looked
    made him attractive to us.
He was hated and rejected;
his life was filled with sorrow
    and terrible suffering.
No one wanted to look at him.
We despised him and said,
    “He is a nobody!”

He suffered and endured
    great pain for us,
but we thought his suffering
    was punishment from God.
(C)(D) He was wounded and crushed
    because of our sins;
by taking our punishment,
    he made us completely well.
(E) All of us were like sheep
    that had wandered off.
We had each gone our own way,
but the Lord gave him
    the punishment we deserved.

(F)(G) (H) He was painfully abused,
    but he did not complain.
He was silent like a lamb
    being led to the butcher,
as quiet as a sheep
    having its wool cut off.

He was condemned to death
    without a fair trial.
Who could have imagined
    what would happen to him?
His life was taken away
because of the sinful things
    my people[e] had done.
(I) He wasn't dishonest or violent,
but he was buried in a tomb
    among cruel, rich people.[f]

10 The Lord decided his servant
    would suffer as a sacrifice
to take away the sin
    and guilt of others.
Now the servant will live
    to see his own descendants.[g]
He did everything
    the Lord had planned.

11 By suffering, the servant
will learn the true meaning
    of obeying the Lord.
Although he is innocent,
he will take the punishment
    for the sins of others,
so that many of them
    will no longer be guilty.
12 (J) The Lord will reward him
with honor and power
    for sacrificing his life.
Others thought he was a sinner,
but he suffered for our sins
    and asked God to forgive us.

Footnotes

  1. 52.14 him: One ancient translation; Hebrew “you.”
  2. 52.14 human: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 14.
  3. 52.15 My … me: Hebrew; one ancient translation “The nations will be amazed at him.”
  4. 52.15 kings … wonder: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  5. 53.8 my people: Or “his people.”
  6. 53.9 but he … people: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  7. 53.10 The Lord … descendants: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.