52 “Wake up, wake up;
put on your strength, Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,(A)
Jerusalem, the holy city!(B)
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
will no longer enter you.(C)
Stand up, shake the dust off yourself!
Take your seat, Jerusalem.
Remove the bonds[a] from your neck,
captive Daughter Zion.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“You were sold for nothing,
and you will be redeemed without silver.”(D)
For this is what the Lord God says:
“At first my people went down to Egypt to reside there,(E)
then Assyria oppressed them without cause.[b]
So now what have I here”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“that my people are taken away for nothing?
Its rulers wail”—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
“and my name is continually blasphemed all day long.(F)
Therefore my people will know my name;(G)
therefore they will know on that day
that I am he who says,
‘Here I am.’”

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the herald,
who proclaims peace,
who brings news of good things,(H)
who proclaims salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (I)
The voices of your watchmen(J)
they lift up their voices,
shouting for joy together;
for every eye will see
when the Lord returns to Zion.
Be joyful, rejoice together,
you ruins of Jerusalem!(K)
For the Lord has comforted his people;(L)
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has displayed his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;(M)
all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.(N)

11 Leave, leave, go out from there!(O)
Do not touch anything unclean;
go out from her, purify yourselves,(P)
you who carry the vessels of the Lord.
12 For you will not leave in a hurry,(Q)
and you will not have to take flight;
because the Lord is going before you,(R)
and the God of Israel is your rear guard.(S)

The Servant’s Suffering and Exaltation

13 See, my servant[c](T) will be successful;[d]
he will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted.(U)
14 Just as many were appalled at you[e]
his appearance was so disfigured
that he did not look like a man,
and his form did not resemble a human being—
15 so he will sprinkle many nations.[f](V)
Kings will shut their mouths because of him,
for they will see what had not been told them,
and they will understand what they had not heard.(W)

53 Who has believed what we have heard?[g]
And to whom has the arm of the Lord(X) been revealed?(Y)
He grew up before him like a young plant(Z)
and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him.(AA)
He was despised and rejected by men,(AB)
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.(AC)
He was like someone people turned away from;[h]
he was despised, and we didn’t value him.

Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;(AD)
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God,(AE) and afflicted.
But he was pierced because of our rebellion,(AF)
crushed because of our iniquities;(AG)
punishment(AH) for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.(AI)
We all went astray like sheep;(AJ)
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for[i] the iniquity(AK) of us all.(AL)

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.(AM)
He was taken away because of oppression and judgment,
and who considered his fate?[j]
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,(AN)
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.(AO)

10 Yet the Lord was pleased(AP) to crush him severely.[k](AQ)
When[l] you make him a guilt offering,(AR)
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.(AS)
11 After his anguish,
he will see light[m] and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous(AT) servant(AU) will justify many,(AV)
and he will carry their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him[n] the many as a portion,
and he will receive[o] the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,(AW)
and was counted among the rebels;(AX)
yet he bore the sin of many(AY)
and interceded for the rebels.(AZ)

Footnotes

  1. 52:2 Alt Hb tradition reads The bonds are removed
  2. 52:4 Or them at last, or them for nothing
  3. 52:13 Tg adds the Messiah
  4. 52:13 Or will act wisely
  5. 52:14 Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg read him
  6. 52:15 LXX reads so many nations will marvel at him
  7. 53:1 Or believed our report
  8. 53:3 Lit And like a hiding of faces from him
  9. 53:6 Or has placed on him; lit with
  10. 53:8 Or and as for his generation, who considered him?
  11. 53:10 Or him; he made him sick.
  12. 53:10 Or If
  13. 53:11 DSS, LXX; MT omits light
  14. 53:12 Or him with
  15. 53:12 Or receive with

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)
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.

For this is what the Lord says:

“You were sold for nothing,(L)
    and without money(M) you will be redeemed.(N)

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“At first my people went down to Egypt(O) to live;
    lately, Assyria(P) has oppressed them.

“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)
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.”

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)
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.
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)

53 Who has believed our message(BC)
    and to whom has the arm(BD) of the Lord been revealed?(BE)
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,(BF)
    and like a root(BG) out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance(BH) that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering,(BI) and familiar with pain.(BJ)
Like one from whom people hide(BK) their faces
    he was despised,(BL) and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,(BM)
yet we considered him punished by God,(BN)
    stricken by him, and afflicted.(BO)
But he was pierced(BP) for our transgressions,(BQ)
    he was crushed(BR) for our iniquities;
the punishment(BS) that brought us peace(BT) was on him,
    and by his wounds(BU) we are healed.(BV)
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,(BW)
    each of us has turned to our own way;(BX)
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity(BY) of us all.

He was oppressed(BZ) and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;(CA)
he was led like a lamb(CB) to the slaughter,(CC)
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression[e] and judgment(CD) he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;(CE)
    for the transgression(CF) of my people he was punished.[f]
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,(CG)
    and with the rich(CH) in his death,
though he had done no violence,(CI)
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.(CJ)

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will(CK) to crush(CL) him and cause him to suffer,(CM)
    and though the Lord makes[g] his life an offering for sin,(CN)
he will see his offspring(CO) and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper(CP) in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,(CQ)
    he will see the light(CR) of life[h] and be satisfied[i];
by his knowledge[j] my righteous servant(CS) will justify(CT) many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.(CU)
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[k](CV)
    and he will divide the spoils(CW) with the strong,[l]
because he poured out his life unto death,(CX)
    and was numbered with the transgressors.(CY)
For he bore(CZ) the sin of many,(DA)
    and made intercession(DB) for the transgressors.

Footnotes

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

Our Future after Death

For we know that if our earthly tent we live in(A) is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens,(B) not made with hands.(C) Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring(D) to put on our heavenly dwelling, since, when we are clothed,[a] we will not be found naked.(E) Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality(F) may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith,(G) not by sight.(H) In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.(I) Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing(J) to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat(K) of Christ,(L) so that each may be repaid(M) for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord,(N) we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than in the heart. 13 For if we are out of our mind,(O) it is for God; if we are in our right mind,(P) it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all,(Q) and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all(R) so that those who live should no longer live for themselves,(S) but for the one(T) who died for them and was raised.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective.[b] Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective,[c] yet now we no longer know him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;(U) the old has passed away, and see,(V) the new has[d] come!(W) 18 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.(X) 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world(Y) to himself,(Z) not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors(AA) for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf,(AB) “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the one who did not know sin(AC) to be sin[e] for us,(AD) so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Footnotes

  1. 5:3 Other mss read when we have taken it off
  2. 5:16 Lit anyone according to the flesh
  3. 5:16 Lit Christ according to the flesh
  4. 5:17 Other mss read look, all new things have
  5. 5:21 Or be a sin offering

Awaiting the New Body

For we know that if the earthly(A) tent(B) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan,(C) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(D) because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan(E) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(F) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(G)

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight.(H) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.(I) So we make it our goal to please him,(J) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us(K) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,(L) we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.(M) 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again,(N) but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us,(O) so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,”(P) as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.(Q) 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves(R) but for him who died for them(S) and was raised again.

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly(T) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,(U) the new creation(V) has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!(W) 18 All this is from God,(X) who reconciled us to himself through Christ(Y) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.(Z) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,(AA) as though God were making his appeal through us.(AB) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.(AC) 21 God made him who had no sin(AD) to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
  2. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Or be a sin offering

Let them give thanks to the Lord
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.(A)
For he has satisfied the thirsty
and filled the hungry with good things.(B)

10 Others sat in darkness and gloom[a]
prisoners in cruel chains(C)
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the counsel of the Most High.(D)
12 He broke their spirits[b] with hard labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(E)
13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
he saved them from their distress.(F)
14 He brought them out of darkness and gloom
and broke their chains apart.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 107:10 Or the shadow of death, also in v. 14
  2. 107:12 Lit hearts

Let them give thanks(A) to the Lord for his unfailing love(B)
    and his wonderful deeds(C) for mankind,
for he satisfies(D) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.(E)

10 Some sat in darkness,(F) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering(G) in iron chains,(H)
11 because they rebelled(I) against God’s commands
    and despised(J) the plans(K) of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(L)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(M) from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness,(N) the utter darkness,(O)
    and broke away their chains.(P)

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15 My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will indeed rejoice.(A)
16 My innermost being will celebrate
when your lips say what is right.(B)

17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners;(C)
instead, always fear the Lord.(D)
18 For then you will have a future,
and your hope will not be dashed.(E)

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Saying 14

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
    then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
    when your lips speak what is right.(A)

Saying 15

17 Do not let your heart envy(B) sinners,
    but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(C)

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