Isaiah 49:1-7

New International Version

The Servant of the Lord

49 Listen^(A) to me, you islands;^(B)
    hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born^(C) the Lord called^(D) me;
    from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.^(E)
²He made my mouth^(F) like a sharpened sword,^(G)
    in the shadow of his hand^(H) he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow^(I)
    and concealed me in his quiver.
³He said to me, “You are my servant,^(J)
    Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.^(K)”
⁴But I said, “I have labored in vain;^(L)
    I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,^(M)
    and my reward^(N) is with my God.”^(O)

⁵And now the Lord says—
    he who formed me in the womb^(P) to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
    and gather Israel^(Q) to himself,
for I am^[a] honored^(R) in the eyes of the Lord
    and my God has been my strength^(S)—
⁶he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant^(T)
    to restore the tribes of Jacob
    and bring back those of Israel I have kept.^(U)
I will also make you a light^(V) for the Gentiles,^(W)
    that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”^(X)

⁷This is what the Lord says—
    the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel^(Y)—
to him who was despised^(Z) and abhorred by the nation,
    to the servant of rulers:
“Kings^(AA) will see you and stand up,
    princes will see and bow down,^(AB)
because of the Lord, who is faithful,^(AC)
    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen^(AD) you.”

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Footnotes

Isaiah 49:5 Or him, / but Israel would not be gathered; / yet I will be

John 12:20-36

New International Version

Jesus Predicts His Death

²⁰Now there were some Greeks^(A) among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida^(B) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²²Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

²³Jesus replied, “The hour^(C) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.^(D) ²⁴Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,^(E) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it^(F) for eternal life.^(G) ²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.^(H) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁷“Now my soul is troubled,^(I) and what shall I say? ‘Father,^(J) save me from this hour’?^(K) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven,^(L) “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

³⁰Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit,^(M) not mine. ³¹Now is the time for judgment on this world;^(N) now the prince of this world^(O) will be driven out. ³²And I, when I am lifted up^[a] from the earth,^(P) will draw all people to myself.”^(Q) ³³He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.^(R)

³⁴The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law^(S) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(T) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(U) must be lifted up’?^(V) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

³⁵Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light^(W) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,^(X) before darkness overtakes you.^(Y) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”^(Z) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.^(AA)