Font Size
Isaiah 41:21-42
New International Version
Isaiah 41:21-42
New International Version
21 “Present your case,(A)” says the Lord.
“Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.(B)
22 “Tell us, you idols,
what is going to happen.(C)
Tell us what the former things(D) were,
so that we may consider them
and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,(E)
23 tell us what the future holds,
so we may know(F) that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,(G)
so that we will be dismayed(H) and filled with fear.
24 But you are less than nothing(I)
and your works are utterly worthless;(J)
whoever chooses you is detestable.(K)
25 “I have stirred(L) up one from the north,(M) and he comes—
one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads(N) on rulers as if they were mortar,
as if he were a potter treading the clay.
26 Who told of this from the beginning,(O) so we could know,
or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’?
No one told of this,
no one foretold(P) it,
no one heard any words(Q) from you.
27 I was the first to tell(R) Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’
I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.(S)
28 I look but there is no one(T)—
no one among the gods to give counsel,(U)
no one to give answer(V) when I ask them.
29 See, they are all false!
Their deeds amount to nothing;(W)
their images(X) are but wind(Y) and confusion.
The Servant of the Lord
42 “Here is my servant,(Z) whom I uphold,
my chosen one(AA) in whom I delight;(AB)
I will put my Spirit(AC) on him,
and he will bring justice(AD) to the nations.(AE)
2 He will not shout or cry out,(AF)
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed(AG) he will not break,(AH)
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.(AI)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;(AJ)
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice(AK) on earth.
In his teaching(AL) the islands(AM) will put their hope.”(AN)
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,(AO) who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth(AP) with all that springs from it,(AQ)
who gives breath(AR) to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called(AS) you in righteousness;(AT)
I will take hold of your hand.(AU)
I will keep(AV) you and will make you
to be a covenant(AW) for the people
and a light(AX) for the Gentiles,(AY)
7 to open eyes that are blind,(AZ)
to free(BA) captives from prison(BB)
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.(BC)
8 “I am the Lord;(BD) that is my name!(BE)
I will not yield my glory to another(BF)
or my praise to idols.(BG)
9 See, the former things(BH) have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce(BI) them to you.”
Song of Praise to the Lord
10 Sing(BJ) to the Lord a new song,(BK)
his praise(BL) from the ends of the earth,(BM)
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,(BN)
you islands,(BO) and all who live in them.
11 Let the wilderness(BP) and its towns raise their voices;
let the settlements where Kedar(BQ) lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela(BR) sing for joy;
let them shout from the mountaintops.(BS)
12 Let them give glory(BT) to the Lord
and proclaim his praise(BU) in the islands.(BV)
13 The Lord will march out like a champion,(BW)
like a warrior(BX) he will stir up his zeal;(BY)
with a shout(BZ) he will raise the battle cry
and will triumph over his enemies.(CA)
14 “For a long time I have kept silent,(CB)
I have been quiet and held myself back.(CC)
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
I cry out, I gasp and pant.(CD)
15 I will lay waste(CE) the mountains(CF) and hills
and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
and dry up(CG) the pools.
16 I will lead(CH) the blind(CI) by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light(CJ) before them
and make the rough places smooth.(CK)
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake(CL) them.
17 But those who trust in idols,
who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’(CM)
will be turned back in utter shame.(CN)
Israel Blind and Deaf
18 “Hear, you deaf;(CO)
look, you blind, and see!
19 Who is blind(CP) but my servant,(CQ)
and deaf like the messenger(CR) I send?
Who is blind like the one in covenant(CS) with me,
blind like the servant of the Lord?
20 You have seen many things, but you pay no attention;
your ears are open, but you do not listen.”(CT)
21 It pleased the Lord
for the sake(CU) of his righteousness
to make his law(CV) great and glorious.
Isaiah 41:21-42
King James Version
Isaiah 41:21-42
King James Version
21 Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.
22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.
23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.
26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.
27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.
42 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
5 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.
13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?
20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.