Separation from God

59 Behold, (A)the Lords hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
(B)Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.
But your (C)wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His [a]face from you so that He does (D)not hear.
For your (E)hands are defiled with blood,
And your fingers with wrongdoing;
Your lips have spoken (F)deceit,
Your tongue mutters wickedness.
(G)No one sues righteously and (H)no one pleads [b]honestly.
They (I)trust in confusion and speak lies;
They (J)conceive trouble and give birth to disaster.
They hatch vipers’ eggs and (K)weave the spider’s web;
The one who eats of their eggs dies,
And from what is crushed, a snake breaks out.
Their webs will not become clothing,
Nor will they (L)cover themselves with their works;
Their (M)works are works of wrongdoing,
And an (N)act of violence is in their [c]hands.
(O)Their feet run to evil,
And they hurry to shed innocent blood;
(P)Their thoughts are thoughts of wrongdoing,
Devastation and destruction are in their paths.
They do not know the (Q)way of peace,
And there is (R)no justice in their tracks;
They have made their paths crooked,
(S)Whoever walks on [d]them does not know peace.

A Confession of Wickedness

Therefore (T)justice is far from us,
And righteousness does not reach us;
We (U)hope for light, but there is darkness,
For brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10 We (V)grope for the wall like people who are blind,
We grope like those who have no eyes.
We (W)stumble at midday as in the twilight;
Among those who are healthy we are (X)like the dead.
11 All of us growl like bears,
And (Y)moan sadly like doves;
We hope for (Z)justice, but there is none;
For salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our (AA)wrongful acts have multiplied before You,
And our (AB)sins have testified against us;
For our wrongful acts are with us,
And [e]we know our wrongdoings:
13 [f]Offending and (AC)denying the Lord,
And turning away from our God,
Speaking (AD)oppression and revolt,
Conceiving and (AE)uttering lying words from the heart.
14 (AF)Justice is turned back,
And (AG)righteousness stands far away;
For truth has stumbled in the street,
And uprightness cannot enter.
15 Truth is lacking,
And one who turns aside from evil (AH)makes himself a prey.
Now the Lord saw,
And it was [g]displeasing in His sight (AI)that there was no justice.
16 And He saw that there was (AJ)no one,
And was amazed that there was not one to intercede;
Then His (AK)own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.
17 He put on (AL)righteousness like a breastplate,
And a (AM)helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on (AN)garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with (AO)zeal as a cloak.
18 (AP)According to their deeds, [h]so will He repay:
Wrath to His adversaries, [i]retribution to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will [j]deal [k]retribution.
19 So they will fear the name of the Lord from the (AQ)west
And His glory from the (AR)rising of the sun,
For He will (AS)come like a [l]rushing stream
Which the wind of the Lord drives.
20 “A (AT)Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those in Jacob who (AU)turn from wrongdoing,” declares the Lord.

21 “As for Me, this is My (AV)covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My (AW)Spirit who is upon you, and My (AX)words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your [m]offspring, nor from the mouth of your [n]offspring’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from now and forever.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:2 As in ancient versions; MT faces
  2. Isaiah 59:4 Lit in truth
  3. Isaiah 59:6 Lit palms
  4. Isaiah 59:8 Lit it
  5. Isaiah 59:12 Lit our wrongdoings we know them
  6. Isaiah 59:13 Or Revolting against and
  7. Isaiah 59:15 Or evil
  8. Isaiah 59:18 Lit accordingly
  9. Isaiah 59:18 Lit requital
  10. Isaiah 59:18 Lit repay
  11. Isaiah 59:18 Lit requital
  12. Isaiah 59:19 Lit narrow
  13. Isaiah 59:21 Lit seed
  14. Isaiah 59:21 Lit seed

Separated from God

59 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not (A)shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will (B)not hear.
For (C)your hands are defiled with [a]blood,
And your fingers with iniquity;
Your lips have spoken lies,
Your tongue has muttered perversity.

No one calls for justice,
Nor does any plead for truth.
They trust in (D)empty words and speak lies;
(E)They conceive [b]evil and bring forth iniquity.
They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web;
He who eats of their eggs dies,
And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.

(F)Their webs will not become garments,
Nor will they cover themselves with their works;
Their works are works of iniquity,
And the act of violence is in their hands.
(G)Their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed (H)innocent blood;
(I)Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
Wasting and (J)destruction are in their paths.
The way of (K)peace they have not known,
And there is no justice in their ways;
(L)They have made themselves crooked paths;
Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.

Sin Confessed

Therefore justice is far from us,
Nor does righteousness overtake us;
(M)We look for light, but there is darkness!
For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
10 (N)We grope for the wall like the blind,
And we grope as if we had no eyes;
We stumble at noonday as at twilight;
We are as dead men in desolate places.
11 We all growl like bears,
And (O)moan sadly like doves;
We look for justice, but there is none;
For salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our (P)transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And as for our iniquities, we know them:
13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord,
And departing from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving and uttering (Q)from the heart words of falsehood.
14 Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands afar off;
For truth is fallen in the street,
And equity cannot enter.
15 So truth fails,
And he who departs from evil makes himself a (R)prey.

The Redeemer of Zion

Then the Lord saw it, and [c]it displeased Him
That there was no justice.
16 (S)He saw that there was no man,
And (T)wondered that there was no intercessor;
(U)Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
17 (V)For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18 (W)According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,
Fury to His adversaries,
Recompense to His enemies;
The coastlands He will fully repay.
19 (X)So shall they fear
The name of the Lord from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun;
When the enemy comes in (Y)like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

20 “The(Z) Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,”
Says the Lord.

21 “As(AA) for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:3 bloodshed
  2. Isaiah 59:4 trouble
  3. Isaiah 59:15 Lit. it was evil in His eyes

Sin, Confession and Redemption

59 Surely the arm(A) of the Lord is not too short(B) to save,
    nor his ear too dull to hear.(C)
But your iniquities have separated(D)
    you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
    so that he will not hear.(E)
For your hands are stained with blood,(F)
    your fingers with guilt.(G)
Your lips have spoken falsely,(H)
    and your tongue mutters wicked things.
No one calls for justice;(I)
    no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely(J) on empty arguments, they utter lies;(K)
    they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.(L)
They hatch the eggs of vipers(M)
    and spin a spider’s web.(N)
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
    and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
    they cannot cover themselves with what they make.(O)
Their deeds are evil deeds,
    and acts of violence(P) are in their hands.
Their feet rush into sin;
    they are swift to shed innocent blood.(Q)
They pursue evil schemes;(R)
    acts of violence mark their ways.(S)
The way of peace they do not know;(T)
    there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;(U)
    no one who walks along them will know peace.(V)

So justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;(W)
    for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind(X) we grope along the wall,
    feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble(Y) as if it were twilight;
    among the strong, we are like the dead.(Z)
11 We all growl like bears;
    we moan mournfully like doves.(AA)
We look for justice, but find none;
    for deliverance, but it is far away.

12 For our offenses(AB) are many in your sight,
    and our sins testify(AC) against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
    and we acknowledge our iniquities:(AD)
13 rebellion(AE) and treachery against the Lord,
    turning our backs(AF) on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,(AG)
    uttering lies(AH) our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice(AI) is driven back,
    and righteousness(AJ) stands at a distance;
truth(AK) has stumbled in the streets,
    honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth(AL) is nowhere to be found,
    and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased
    that there was no justice.(AM)
16 He saw that there was no one,(AN)
    he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;(AO)
so his own arm achieved salvation(AP) for him,
    and his own righteousness(AQ) sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,(AR)
    and the helmet(AS) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments(AT) of vengeance(AU)
    and wrapped himself in zeal(AV) as in a cloak.
18 According to what they have done,
    so will he repay(AW)
wrath to his enemies
    and retribution to his foes;
    he will repay the islands(AX) their due.
19 From the west,(AY) people will fear the name of the Lord,
    and from the rising of the sun,(AZ) they will revere his glory.(BA)
For he will come like a pent-up flood
    that the breath(BB) of the Lord drives along.[a]

20 “The Redeemer(BC) will come to Zion,(BD)
    to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”(BE)
declares the Lord.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant(BF) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,(BG) who is on you, will not depart from you,(BH) and my words that I have put in your mouth(BI) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:19 Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight

Synd, bekännelse och frälsning

59 (A) Se, Herrens hand är inte

        för kort för att frälsa,
    hans öra är inte
        för dövt för att höra.
(B) Nej, det är era missgärningar
        som skiljer er från er Gud,
    era synder döljer
        hans ansikte för er
    så att han inte hör er.
(C) För era händer är fläckade av blod,
        era fingrar av skuld.
    Era läppar talar lögn,
        er tunga bär fram ondska.
(D) Ingen ropar efter rättfärdighet,
        ingen dömer med sanning.
    De litar till tomhet och talar lögn,
        de går havande med olycka
            och föder fördärv.
De kläcker ormägg
        och väver spindelnät.
    Den som äter av deras ägg dör,
        och krossas ett
            kommer det ut en orm.
(E) Deras spindelnät
        duger inte till kläder,
    de kan inte skyla sig själva
        med vad de tillverkat.
    Deras verk är ondskans verk,
        deras händer utövar våld.
(F) Deras fötter rusar
        till det som är ont,
    de är snabba
        att spilla oskyldigt blod.
    Deras tankar är fördärvets tankar,
        förödelse och elände
            råder på deras vägar.[a]
Fridens väg känner de inte,
        rätten följer inte i deras spår.
    De går krokiga stigar,
        ingen som vandrar dem
            vet vad frid är.

Därför är rättvisan fjärran från oss,
        rättfärdigheten når oss inte.
    Vi väntar på ljus,
        men här råder mörker,
    på solsken,
        men vi vandrar i dunkel.
10 (G) Vi famlar som blinda längs väggen,
        famlar som om vi inte hade ögon.
    Vi stapplar mitt på dagen
        som vore det skymning.
    Bland de friska[b] är vi som döda.
11 (H) Vi brummar alla som björnar
        och kuttrar sorgset som duvor.
    Vi väntar på rättvisa,
        men den kommer inte,
    efter frälsning,
        men den är fjärran från oss.

12 (I) Våra brott inför dig är många,
        våra synder vittnar mot oss.
    Våra brott följer med oss,
        vi känner våra missgärningar.
13 (J) Vi har gjort uppror
        och förnekat Herren,
    vi har vänt vår Gud ryggen.
    Vi har talat förtryck och avfall,
        tänkt ut och fört fram
    lögnaktiga ord från våra hjärtan.
14 (K) Rättvisan trängs tillbaka,
        rättfärdigheten står långt borta,
    för sanningen vacklar på torget,
        det som är rätt
            kan inte komma fram.
15 (L) Sanningen har försvunnit,
    och den som undviker det onda
            blir plundrad.

Detta såg Herren,
    och han var missnöjd med
        att det inte fanns någon rättvisa.
16 (M) Han såg att ingen steg fram,
    han var förundrad
        över att ingen grep in.
    Då hjälpte honom hans egen arm,
        och hans rättfärdighet
            stödde honom.
17 (N) Han klädde sig i rättfärdighet
        som pansar
    och satte frälsningens hjälm
        på sitt huvud.
    Han klädde sig i hämndens dräkt
        som klädsel
    och svepte sig i lidelse
        som en mantel.
18 Efter deras gärningar
        ska han löna dem,
    med vrede över hans motståndare,
        hämnd över hans fiender.
    Han ska löna kustländerna
        för vad de har gjort.
19 (O) Så ska man frukta Herrens namn
        i väster
    och hans härlighet
        där solen går upp.
    När fienden bryter fram
        som en flod,
    ska Herrens Ande
        driva honom på flykten.
20 (P) Återlösaren ska komma till Sion
    och till dem i Jakob som vänder om
        från sitt uppror,
    säger Herren.[c]

21 (Q) Detta är mitt förbund med dem, säger Herren: Min Ande som är över dig och mina ord som jag har lagt i din mun ska inte vika ur din mun eller ur dina barns eller barnbarns mun, från nu och till evig tid, säger Herren.

Footnotes

  1. 59:7f Citeras av Paulus i Rom 3:15f.
  2. 59:10 de friska   Grundtexten svårtolkad.
  3. 59:20 Citeras av Paulus i Rom 11:26f som profetia om Messias.