53 Who would have believed 1 what we 2 just heard? 3
When 4 was the Lord’s power 5 revealed through him?
2 He sprouted up like a twig before God, 6
like a root out of parched soil; 7
he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, 8
no special appearance that we should want to follow him. 9
3 He was despised and rejected by people, 10
one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;
people hid their faces from him; 11
he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. 12
4 But he lifted up our illnesses,
he carried our pain; 13
even though we thought he was being punished,
attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. 14
5 He was wounded because of 15 our rebellious deeds,
crushed because of our sins;
he endured punishment that made us well; 16
because of his wounds we have been healed. 17
6 All of us had wandered off like sheep;
each of us had strayed off on his own path,
but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. 18
7 He was treated harshly and afflicted, 19
but he did not even open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block,
like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not even open his mouth. 20
8 He was led away after an unjust trial 21 –
but who even cared? 22
Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; 23
because of the rebellion of his own 24 people he was wounded.
9 They intended to bury him with criminals, 25
but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, 26
because 27 he had committed no violent deeds,
nor had he spoken deceitfully.
10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,
once restitution is made, 28
he will see descendants and enjoy long life, 29
and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
11 Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,
he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. 30
“My servant 31 will acquit many, 32
for he carried their sins. 33
12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, 34
he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, 35
because he willingly submitted 36 to death
and was numbered with the rebels,
when he lifted up the sin of many
and intervened 37 on behalf of the rebels.”
54 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth!
Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
2 Make your tent larger,
stretch your tent curtains farther out! 1
Spare no effort,
lengthen your ropes,
and pound your stakes deep. 2
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your children will conquer 3 nations
and will resettle desolate cities.
4 Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame!
Don’t be intimidated, 4 for you will not be humiliated!
You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth;
you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment. 5
5 For your husband is the one who made you –
the Lord who commands armies is his name.
He is your protector, 6 the Holy One of Israel. 7
He is called “God of the entire earth.”
6 “Indeed, the Lord will call you back
like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression, 8
like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God.
7 “For a short time I abandoned 9 you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In a burst 10 of anger I rejected you 11 momentarily,
but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,”
says your protector, 12 the Lord.
9 “As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, 13
when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood 14 would never again cover the earth.
In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.
10 Even if the mountains are removed
and the hills displaced,
my devotion will not be removed from you,
nor will my covenant of friendship 15 be displaced,”
says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.
11 “O afflicted one, driven away, 16 and unconsoled!
Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony
and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.
12 I will make your pinnacles out of gems, 17
your gates out of beryl, 18
and your outer wall 19 out of beautiful 20 stones.
13 All your children will be followers of the Lord,
and your children will enjoy great prosperity. 21
14 You will be reestablished when I vindicate you. 22
You will not experience oppression; 23
indeed, you will not be afraid.
You will not be terrified, 24
for nothing frightening 25 will come near you.
15 If anyone dares to 26 challenge you, it will not be my doing!
Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated. 27
16 Look, I create the craftsman,
who fans the coals into a fire
and forges a weapon. 28
I create the destroyer so he might devastate.
17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed;
you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you. 29
This is what the Lord will do for his servants –
I will vindicate them,” 30
says the Lord.
