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Isaiah 8:16-9:7
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Isaiah 8:16-9:7
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Disciples of Isaiah
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 And when they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the wizards who chirp and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! Surely for this word which they speak there is no dawn. 21 They will pass through the land,[a] greatly distressed and hungry; and when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will curse[b] their king and their God, and turn their faces upward; 22 and they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.
The Righteous Reign of the Coming King
9 [c] But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zeb′ulun and the land of Naph′tali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 [d] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation,
thou hast increased its joy;
they rejoice before thee
as with joy at the harvest,
as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
thou hast broken as on the day of Mid′ian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called
“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”[e]
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,
to establish it, and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 8:21 Heb it
- Isaiah 8:21 Or curse by
- Isaiah 9:1 Ch 8.23 in Heb
- Isaiah 9:2 Ch 9.1 in Heb
- 9.6 Passage selected for the Introit of the Mass of Christmas Day, showing that the Church regards these words as being fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 8:16-9:7
New International Version
Isaiah 8:16-9:7
New International Version
16 Bind up this testimony of warning(A)
and seal(B) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
17 I will wait(C) for the Lord,
who is hiding(D) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.(E)
18 Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me.(F) We are signs(G) and symbols(H) in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.(I)
The Darkness Turns to Light
19 When someone tells you to consult(J) mediums and spiritists,(K) who whisper and mutter,(L) should not a people inquire(M) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction(N) and the testimony of warning.(O) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light(P) of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry,(Q) they will roam through the land;(R) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse(S) their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,(T) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.(U)
9 [a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom(V) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,(W) but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2 The people walking in darkness(X)
have seen a great light;(Y)
on those living in the land of deep darkness(Z)
a light has dawned.(AA)
3 You have enlarged the nation(AB)
and increased their joy;(AC)
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.(AD)
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(AE)
you have shattered(AF)
the yoke(AG) that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,(AH)
the rod of their oppressor.(AI)
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,(AJ)
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,(AK)
to us a son is given,(AL)
and the government(AM) will be on his shoulders.(AN)
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,(AO) Mighty God,(AP)
Everlasting(AQ) Father,(AR) Prince of Peace.(AS)
7 Of the greatness of his government(AT) and peace(AU)
there will be no end.(AV)
He will reign(AW) on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice(AX) and righteousness(AY)
from that time on and forever.(AZ)
The zeal(BA) of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.