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)

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

Jerusalem Will Be Saved

52 Wake up, wake up, Jerusalem! Become strong!
Be beautiful again,
    holy city of Jerusalem.
The people who do not worship God and who are not pure
    will not enter you again.
Jerusalem, you once were a prisoner.
    Now shake off the dust and stand up.
Jerusalem, you once were a prisoner.
    Now free yourself from the chains around your neck.
This is what the Lord says:
“You were not sold for a price,
    so you will be saved without cost.”
This is what the Lord God says:
“First my people went down to Egypt to live.
    Later Assyria made them slaves.

“Now see what has happened,” says the Lord.
    “Another nation has taken away my people for nothing.
This nation who rules them makes fun of me,” says the Lord.
    “All day long they speak against me.
This has happened so my people will know who I am,
    and so, on that future day, they will know
that I am the one speaking to them.
    It will really be me.”

How beautiful is the person
    who comes over the mountains to bring good news,
who announces peace
    and brings good news,
    who announces salvation
and says to Jerusalem,
    “Your God is King.”
Listen! Your guards are shouting.
    They are all shouting for joy!
They all will see with their own eyes
    when the Lord returns to Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, your buildings are destroyed now,
    but shout and rejoice together,
because the Lord has comforted his people.
    He has saved Jerusalem.
10 The Lord will show his holy power
    to all the nations.
Then everyone on earth
    will see the salvation of our God.

11 You people, leave, leave; get out of Babylon!
    Touch nothing that is unclean.
You men who carry the Lord’s things used in worship,
    leave there and make yourselves pure.
12 You will not be forced to leave Babylon quickly;
    you will not be forced to run away,
because the Lord will go before you,
    and the God of Israel will guard you from behind.

The Lord’s Suffering Servant

13 The Lord says, “See, my servant will act wisely.
    People will greatly honor and respect him.
14 Many people were shocked when they saw him.
    His appearance was so damaged he did not look like a man;
    his form was so changed they could barely tell he was human.
15 But now he will surprise many nations.
    Kings will be amazed and shut their mouths.
They will see things they had not been told about him,
    and they will understand things they had not heard.”