Isaiah 50
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 50
God’s Offer of Salvation Remains
1 [a]Thus says the Lord:
Where is your mother’s bill of divorce
by which I repudiated her?
Or which creditor of mine was it
to whom I sold you?
No, you were sold because of your sins,
and your mother was repudiated,
because of your rebellious acts.
2 Why was no one there when I came?
Why did no one answer when I called?
Is my hand too short to redeem?
Have I no power to deliver?
By my rebuke I can dry up the sea
and turn the rivers into a desert.
Their fish rot for lack of water
and die of thirst.
3 Did I not clothe the heavens in black
and cover them with sackcloth?
4 [b]The Lord God has given me
the tongue of one who has been well taught
so that I am able to console the weary
with a message of encouragement.
Morning after morning he opens my ears
so that I may listen to their concerns.
5 And I have not rebelled,
I have not turned away.
6 I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard.
I did not shield my face
from insults and spitting.
7 The Lord God is my help;
therefore I have not been disgraced.
Rather, I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I will not be put to shame.
8 He who upholds me is near;
thus, if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us confront each other.
Is there anyone who has a case against me?
Let him come forward.
9 The Lord God is my defender;
who then will dare to condemn me?
All of them will wear out like a garment
the moth will devour them.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys his servant’s voice?
Who among you walks in darkness
without any light?
Let him trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
11 But all of you kindle a fire
and arm yourselves with firebrands.
Walk by the light of your fire
and the firebrands that you have set ablaze.
This is what you will receive from my hand:
you will lie down in torment.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 50:1 This incomplete song attests to the fidelity of God despite the sins of human beings. He has never publicly separated himself from them, but he has broken the bonds linking him to his people.
- Isaiah 50:4 We cannot imagine a more profound docility and self-surrender than that of this mysterious Servant. He is filled with the sense of God to the point that nothing can make him waver. Sent as he is to strengthen his discouraged brothers and sisters, he does not weaken but endures persecution, for he is sure of God’s power within him. His lot makes us think of the treatment inflicted on Jesus. Instructed by his example, pious Jews and pagans (v. 10) can acknowledge God as Savior.
Isaiah 50
King James Version
50 Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.
4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.
11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.
Isaiah 50
English Standard Version
Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience
50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)your mother's certificate of divorce,
with which (B)I sent her away?
Or (C)which of my creditors is it
to whom I have sold you?
(D)Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,
and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
2 (E)Why, when I came, was there no man;
why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
(F)Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
(G)Behold, by my rebuke (H)I dry up the sea,
(I)I make the rivers a desert;
(J)their fish stink for lack of water
and die of thirst.
3 (K)I clothe the heavens with blackness
and make sackcloth their covering.”
4 The Lord God has given (L)me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that (M)I may know how to sustain with a word
(N)him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
5 (O)The Lord God has opened my ear,
(P)and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.
6 (Q)I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
7 But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
(R)therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8 (S)He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9 (T)Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys (U)the voice of his servant?
(V)Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
(W)This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
