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Isaiah 52
New International Version
Isaiah 52
New International Version
52 Awake, awake,(A) Zion,
clothe yourself with strength!(B)
Put on your garments of splendor,(C)
Jerusalem, the holy city.(D)
The uncircumcised(E) and defiled(F)
will not enter you again.(G)
2 Shake off your dust;(H)
rise up,(I) sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,(J)
Daughter Zion,(K) now a captive.
3 For this is what the Lord says:
4 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
5 “And now what do I have here?” declares the Lord.
“For my people have been taken away for nothing,
and those who rule them mock,[a]”
declares the Lord.
“And all day long
my name is constantly blasphemed.(Q)
6 Therefore my people will know(R) my name;(S)
therefore in that day(T) they will know
that it is I who foretold(U) it.
Yes, it is I.”
7 How beautiful on the mountains(V)
are the feet of those who bring good news,(W)
who proclaim peace,(X)
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”(Y)
8 Listen! Your watchmen(Z) lift up their voices;(AA)
together they shout for joy.(AB)
When the Lord returns(AC) to Zion,(AD)
they will see it with their own eyes.
9 Burst into songs of joy(AE) together,
you ruins(AF) of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted(AG) his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.(AH)
10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm(AI)
in the sight of all the nations,(AJ)
and all the ends of the earth(AK) will see
the salvation(AL) of our God.
11 Depart,(AM) depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing!(AN)
Come out from it and be pure,(AO)
you who carry the articles(AP) of the Lord’s house.
12 But you will not leave in haste(AQ)
or go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you,(AR)
the God of Israel will be your rear guard.(AS)
The Suffering and Glory of the Servant
13 See, my servant(AT) will act wisely[b];
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.(AU)
14 Just as there were many who were appalled(AV) at him[c]—
his appearance was so disfigured(AW) beyond that of any human being
and his form marred beyond human likeness(AX)—
15 so he will sprinkle(AY) many nations,[d]
and kings(AZ) will shut their mouths(BA) because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.(BB)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 52:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Vulgate; Masoretic Text wail
- Isaiah 52:13 Or will prosper
- Isaiah 52:14 Hebrew you
- Isaiah 52:15 Or so will many nations be amazed at him (see also Septuagint)
Isaiah 52
The Message
Isaiah 52
The Message
God Is Leading You Out of Here
52 1-2 Wake up, wake up! Pull on your boots, Zion!
Dress up in your Sunday best, Jerusalem, holy city!
Those who want no part of God have been culled out.
They won’t be coming along.
Brush off the dust and get to your feet, captive Jerusalem!
Throw off your chains, captive daughter of Zion!
3 God says, “You were sold for nothing. You’re being bought back for nothing.”
4-6 Again, the Master, God, says, “Early on, my people went to Egypt and lived, strangers in the land. At the other end, Assyria oppressed them. And now, what have I here?” God’s Decree. “My people are hauled off again for no reason at all. Tyrants on the warpath, whooping it up, and day after day, incessantly, my reputation blackened. Now it’s time that my people know who I am, what I’m made of—yes, that I have something to say. Here I am!”
7-10 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger bringing good news,
Breaking the news that all’s well,
proclaiming good times, announcing salvation,
telling Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Voices! Listen! Your scouts are shouting, thunderclap shouts,
shouting in joyful unison.
They see with their own eyes
God coming back to Zion.
Break into song! Boom it out, ruins of Jerusalem:
“God has comforted his people!
He’s redeemed Jerusalem!”
God has rolled up his sleeves.
All the nations can see his holy, muscled arm.
Everyone, from one end of the earth to the other,
sees him at work, doing his salvation work.
11-12 Out of here! Out of here! Leave this place!
Don’t look back. Don’t contaminate yourselves with plunder.
Just leave, but leave clean. Purify yourselves
in the process of worship, carrying the holy vessels of God.
But you don’t have to be in a hurry.
You’re not running from anybody!
God is leading you out of here,
and the God of Israel is also your rear guard.
It Was Our Pains He Carried
13-15 “Just watch my servant blossom!
Exalted, tall, head and shoulders above the crowd!
But he didn’t begin that way.
At first everyone was appalled.
He didn’t even look human—
a ruined face, disfigured past recognition.
Nations all over the world will be in awe, taken aback,
kings shocked into silence when they see him.
For what was unheard of they’ll see with their own eyes,
what was unthinkable they’ll have right before them.”
Isaiah 52
New American Standard Bible
Isaiah 52
New American Standard Bible
Cheer for Prostrate Zion
52 (A)Awake, awake,
Clothe yourself in your strength, Zion;
Clothe yourself with your (B)beautiful garments,
Jerusalem, the (C)holy city;
For the uncircumcised and the (D)unclean
Will no longer come into you.
2 Shake yourself (E)from the dust, (F)rise up,
Captive Jerusalem;
(G)Release yourself from the chains around your neck,
Captive daughter of Zion.
3 For this is what the Lord says: “You were (H)sold for nothing, and you will be (I)redeemed (J)without money.” 4 For this is what the Lord [a]God says: “My people (K)went down to Egypt first to reside there; then the Assyrian oppressed them without reason. 5 And now, what do I have here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that My people have been taken away without reason?” Again the Lord declares, “Those who rule over them howl, and My (L)name is continually reviled all day long. 6 Therefore, My people shall (M)know My name; therefore on that day I am the one who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’”
7 How delightful on the mountains
Are the feet of one who brings (N)good news,
Who announces [b]peace
And brings good news of [c]happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your (O)God [d]reigns!”
8 Listen! Your watchmen raise their (P)voices,
They shout joyfully together;
For they will see [e]with their own eyes
When the Lord restores Zion.
9 (Q)Be cheerful, shout joyfully together,
You (R)ruins of Jerusalem;
For the Lord has comforted His people,
He has (S)redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared His holy (T)arm
In the sight of all the nations,
[f]So that (U)all the ends of the earth may see
The salvation of our God.
11 (V)Depart, depart, go out from there,
(W)Do not touch what is unclean;
Go out of the midst of her, (X)purify yourselves,
You who carry the vessels of the Lord.
12 But you will not go out in (Y)a hurry,
Nor will you go [g]as fugitives;
For the (Z)Lord will go before you,
And (AA)the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
The Exalted Servant
13 Behold, My (AB)Servant will prosper,
He will be high and lifted up and [h]greatly (AC)exalted.
14 Just as many were appalled at you, My people,
So His (AD)appearance was marred beyond that of a man,
And His form beyond the sons of mankind.
15 So [i]He will (AE)sprinkle many nations,
Kings will (AF)shut their mouths on account of Him;
For (AG)what they had not been told, they will see,
And what they had not heard, they will understand.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 52:4 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Isaiah 52:7 Or well-being
- Isaiah 52:7 Lit good
- Isaiah 52:7 Or is King
- Isaiah 52:8 Lit eye to eye
- Isaiah 52:10 Or And all...will see
- Isaiah 52:12 Lit in flight
- Isaiah 52:13 Or very high
- Isaiah 52:15 LXX many nations will wonder at Him
Isaiah 52
Expanded Bible
Isaiah 52
Expanded Bible
Jerusalem Will Be Saved
52 Wake up, wake up, ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]! ·Become strong [L Clothe yourself with/Put on strength]!
·Be beautiful again [L Put on beautiful/glorious clothes],
holy city of Jerusalem.
The ·people who do not worship God and who are not pure [L uncircumcised and defiled/unclean]
will not enter you again.
2 Jerusalem, ·you once were a prisoner [or be enthroned/seated].
Now shake off the dust and ·stand up [arise].
·Jerusalem, you once were a prisoner [L Captive daughter of Zion,].
Now free yourself from the chains around your neck.
3 This is what the Lord says:
“You were ·not sold for a price [L sold for nothing],
so you will be ·saved [redeemed] without cost.”
4 This is what the Lord God says:
“First my people went down to Egypt to live.
Later Assyria ·made them slaves [oppressed them].
5 “Now ·see what has happened [what do I have here…?],” says the Lord.
“Another nation has taken away my people for nothing.
Those who rule them ·make fun of me [mock; taunt][a],” says the Lord.
“All day long they ·speak against [slander; blaspheme] me.
6 This has happened so my people will know ·who I am [L my name],
and so, ·on that future [L in that] day, they will know
that I am the one speaking to them.
·It will really be me [L Look/T Behold, I].”
7 ·How beautiful [or How beautiful on the mountains] ·is the person [L are the feet of him]
who ·comes over the mountains to bring [or brings] good news,
who announces peace
and brings good news,
who announces salvation [Nah. 1:15]
and says to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; v. 1],
“Your God ·is King [or reigns].”
8 Listen! Your ·guards [watchmen] ·are shouting [raise their voices].
They are all shouting [L together] for joy!
They all will see ·with their own eyes [right in front of their eyes; L eye in eye]
when the Lord returns to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; v. 1].
9 ·Jerusalem, although your buildings are destroyed now [L You ruins of Jerusalem],
shout and rejoice together,
because the Lord has comforted his people.
He has ·saved [redeemed] Jerusalem.
10 The Lord ·will show his holy power [flexes his holy muscles; L bared his holy arm]
·to [L to the eyes of] all the nations.
Then ·everyone on [L all the ends of the] earth
will see the salvation of our God.
11 You people, leave, leave; get out ·of Babylon [L from there]!
Touch nothing that is ·unclean [defiled].
You who carry the ·Lord’s things used in worship [articles/vessels of the Lord],
leave there and make yourselves pure.
12 You will not ·be forced to leave Babylon quickly [leave in haste];
you will not be forced to run away,
because the Lord will go before you,
and the God of Israel will ·guard you from behind [be your rear guard].
The Lord’s Suffering Servant
13 The Lord says, “See, my servant will ·act wisely [or have success].
·People will greatly honor and respect him [He will be raised and exalted; C 52:13—53:12 is the fourth of four “servant songs” in Isaiah; see 42:1].
14 Many people were ·shocked [astonished; appalled] when they saw him.
His appearance was so ·damaged [disfigured; marred] he did not look like a man;
his form ·was so changed they could barely tell he was human [L beyond the sons of man/children of humanity].
15 But now he will ·surprise [startle; or sprinkle; C as the blood of a sacrifice sprinkled on the altar; Lev. 4:6, 17] many nations.
Kings will ·be amazed [L shut their mouths because of him].
They will see things they had not been ·told about him [L told],
and they will understand things they had not heard.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 52:5 taunt The Dead Sea Scrolls read “wail.”
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.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.