Isaiah 53

1 Who would have believedt what wes just heard?t
Whent was the Lord’s powert revealed through him?

2 He sprouted up like a twig before God,t
like a root out of parched soil;s
he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention,t
no special appearance that we should want to follow him.t

3 He was despised and rejected by people,t
one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;
people hid their faces from him;t
he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.s

4 But he lifted up our illnesses,
he carried our pain;s
even though we thought he was being punished,
attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.t

5 He was wounded because oft our rebellious deeds,
crushed because of our sins;
he endured punishment that made us well;t
because of his wounds we have been healed.s

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.t

7 He was treated harshly and afflicted,t
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.s

8 He was led away after an unjust trialt –
but who even cared?t
Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living;s
because of the rebellion of his ownt people he was wounded.

9 They intended to bury him with criminals,t
but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb,t
becauset 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,ts
he will see descendants and enjoy long life,s
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.t
“My servants will acquit many,ts
for he carried their sins.t

12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes,t
he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful,s
because he willingly submittedt to death
and was numbered with the rebels,
when he lifted up the sin of many
and intervenedt on behalf of the 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.