Isaiah 53

Chapter 53

1 Who has believed our message?
To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?2 My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.3 He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrowst that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him
the sins of us all.7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.t
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.t
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.10 But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands.11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

ISAIAH 53

What God's Servant Did //for Us

1  t Has anyone believed us
or seen the mighty power
of the [Lord] in action?

2 Like a young plant or a root
that sprouts in dry ground,
the servant grew up
obeying the [Lord].
He wasn't some handsome king.
Nothing about the way he looked
made him attractive to us.

3 He was hated and rejected;
his life was filled with sorrow
and terrible suffering.
No one wanted to look at him.
We despised him and said,
“He is a nobody!”

4 He suffered and endured
great pain for us,
but we thought his suffering
was punishment from God.

5  t t He was wounded and crushed
because of our sins;
by taking our punishment,
he made us completely well.

6  t All of us were like sheep
that had wandered off.
We had each gone our own way,
but the [Lord] gave him
the punishment we deserved.

7  t t t He was painfully abused,
but he did not complain.
He was silent like a lamb
being led to the butcher,
as quiet as a sheep
having its wool cut off.

8 He was condemned to death
without a fair trial.
Who could have imagined
what would happen to him?
His life was taken away
because of the sinful things
my peoplet had done.

9  t He wasn't dishonest or violent,
but he was buried in a tomb
among cruel, rich people.t

10 The [Lord] decided his servant
would suffer as a sacrifice
to take away the sin
and guilt of others.
Now the servant will live
to see his own descendants.t
He did everything
the [Lord] had planned.

11 By suffering, the servant
will learn the true meaning
of obeying the [Lord].
Although he is innocent,
he will take the punishment
for the sins of others,
so that many of them
will no longer be guilty.

12  t The [Lord] will reward him
with honor and power
for sacrificing his life.
Others thought he was a sinner,
but he suffered for our sins
and asked God to forgive us.