Isaiah 50
Living Bible
50 The Lord asks, Did I sell you to my creditors? Is that why you aren’t here? Is your mother gone because I divorced her and sent her away? No, you went away as captives because of your sins. And your mother, too, was taken in payment for your sins. 2 Was I too weak to save you? Is that why the house is silent and empty when I come home? Have I no longer power to deliver? No, that is not the reason! For I can rebuke the sea and make it dry! I can turn the rivers into deserts, covered with dying fish. 3 I am the one who sends the darkness out across the skies.
4 The Lord God has given me his words of wisdom so that I may know what I should say to all these weary ones. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will. 5 The Lord God has spoken to me, and I have listened; I do not rebel nor turn away. 6 I give my back to the whip, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard. I do not hide from shame—they spit in my face.
7 Because the Lord God helps me, I will not be dismayed; therefore, I have set my face like flint to do his will, and I know that I will triumph. 8 He who gives me justice is near. Who will dare to fight against me now? Where are my enemies? Let them appear! 9 See, the Lord God is for me! Who shall declare me guilty? All my enemies shall be destroyed like old clothes eaten up by moths!
10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his Servant? If such men walk in darkness, without one ray of light, let them trust the Lord, let them rely upon their God. 11 But see here, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves from your own fires and not from God’s; you will live among sorrows.
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.
Isaiah 50
New King James Version
The Servant, Israel’s Hope
50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)the certificate of your mother’s divorce,
Whom I have put away?
Or which of My (B)creditors is it to whom I have sold you?
For your iniquities (C)you have sold yourselves,
And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.
2 Why, when I came, was there no man?
Why, 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?
Indeed with My (D)rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a wilderness;
Their fish stink because there is no water,
And die of thirst.
3 (E)I clothe the heavens with blackness,
(F)And I make sackcloth their covering.”
4 “The(G) Lord God has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is (H)weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear
To hear as the learned.
5 The Lord God (I)has opened My ear;
And I was not (J)rebellious,
Nor did I turn away.
6 (K)I gave My back to those who struck Me,
And (L)My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard;
I did not hide My face from shame and (M)spitting.
7 “For the Lord God will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore (N)I have set My face like a flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.
8 (O)He is near who justifies Me;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us stand together.
Who is [a]My adversary?
Let him come near Me.
9 Surely the Lord God will help Me;
Who is he who will condemn Me?
(P)Indeed they will all grow old like a garment;
(Q)The moth will eat them up.
10 “Who among you fears the Lord?
Who obeys the voice of His Servant?
Who (R)walks in darkness
And has no light?
(S)Let him trust in the name of the Lord
And rely upon his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with sparks:
Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled—
(T)This you shall have from My hand:
You shall lie down (U)in torment.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 50:8 Lit. master of My judgment
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.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
