Study Desk

Who has believed our message^(a) and to whom has the arm^(b) of the Lord been revealed?^(c)

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,^(d) and like a root^(e) out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance^(f) that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering,^(g) and familiar with pain.^(h) Like one from whom people hide⁽ⁱ⁾ their faces he was despised,^(j) and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,^(k) yet we considered him punished by God,^(l) stricken by him, and afflicted.^(m)

But he was pierced⁽ⁿ⁾ for our transgressions,^(o) he was crushed^(p) for our iniquities; the punishment^(q) that brought us peace^(r) was on him, and by his wounds^(s) we are healed.^(t)

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,^(u) each of us has turned to our own way;^(v) and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity^(w) of us all.

He was oppressed^(x) and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;^(y) he was led like a lamb^(z) to the slaughter,^(aa) and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression^[a] and judgment^(ab) he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living;^(ac) for the transgression^(ad) of my people he was punished.^[b]

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,^(ae) and with the rich^(af) in his death, though he had done no violence,^(ag) nor was any deceit in his mouth.^(ah)

Yet it was the Lord 's will^(ai) to crush^(aj) him and cause him to suffer,^(ak) and though the Lord makes^[c] his life an offering for sin,^(al) he will see his offspring^(am) and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper^(an) in his hand.

After he has suffered,^(ao) he will see the light^(ap) of life^[d] and be satisfied^[e]; by his knowledge^[f] my righteous servant^(aq) will justify^(ar) many, and he will bear their iniquities.^(as)

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,^[g](at) and he will divide the spoils^(au) with the strong,^[h] because he poured out his life unto death,^(av) and was numbered with the transgressors.^(aw) For he bore^(ax) the sin of many,^(ay) and made intercession^(az) for the transgressors.

"Sing, barren woman,^(a) you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy,^(b) you who were never in labor;^(c) because more are the children^(d) of the desolate^(e) woman than of her who has a husband,^(f)" says the Lord .

"Enlarge the place of your tent,^(g) stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.^(h)

For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants⁽ⁱ⁾ will dispossess nations^(j) and settle in their desolate^(k) cities.

"Do not be afraid;^(l) you will not be put to shame.^(m) Do not fear disgrace;⁽ⁿ⁾ you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth^(o) and remember no more the reproach^(p) of your widowhood.^(q)

For your Maker^(r) is your husband^(s)— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One^(t) of Israel is your Redeemer;^(u) he is called the God of all the earth.^(v)

The Lord will call you back^(w) as if you were a wife deserted^(x) and distressed in spirit— a wife who married young,^(y) only to be rejected," says your God.

"For a brief moment^(z) I abandoned^(aa) you, but with deep compassion^(ab) I will bring you back.^(ac)

In a surge of anger^(ad) I hid^(ae) my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness^(af) I will have compassion^(ag) on you," says the Lord your Redeemer.^(ah)

"To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.^(ai) So now I have sworn^(aj) not to be angry^(ak) with you, never to rebuke^(al) you again.

Though the mountains be shaken^(am) and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love^(an) for you will not be shaken^(ao) nor my covenant^(ap) of peace^(aq) be removed," says the Lord , who has compassion^(ar) on you.

"Afflicted^(as) city, lashed by storms^(at) and not comforted,^(au) I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,^[a](av) your foundations^(aw) with lapis lazuli.^(ax)

I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates^(ay) of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.

All your children will be taught by the Lord ,^(az) and great will be their peace.^(ba)

In righteousness^(bb) you will be established:^(bc) Tyranny^(bd) will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear.^(be) Terror^(bf) will be far removed; it will not come near you.

If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender^(bg) to you.

"See, it is I who created the blacksmith^(bh) who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon^(bi) fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer^(bj) to wreak havoc;

no weapon forged against you will prevail,^(bk) and you will refute^(bl) every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants^(bm) of the Lord , and this is their vindication^(bn) from me," declares the Lord .

"Come, all you who are thirsty,^(a) come to the waters;^(b) and you who have no money, come, buy^(c) and eat! Come, buy wine and milk^(d) without money and without cost.^(e)

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?^(f) Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,^(g) and you will delight in the richest^(h) of fare.

Give ear and come to me; listen,⁽ⁱ⁾ that you may live.^(j) I will make an everlasting covenant^(k) with you, my faithful love^(l) promised to David.^(m)

See, I have made him a witness⁽ⁿ⁾ to the peoples, a ruler and commander^(o) of the peoples.

Surely you will summon nations^(p) you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you,^(q) because of the Lord your God, the Holy One^(r) of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."^(s)

Seek^(t) the Lord while he may be found;^(u) call^(v) on him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake^(w) their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.^(x) Let them turn^(y) to the Lord , and he will have mercy^(z) on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.^(aa)

"For my thoughts^(ab) are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"^(ac) declares the Lord .

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,^(ad) so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.^(ae)

As the rain^(af) and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish,^(ag) so that it yields seed^(ah) for the sower and bread for the eater,^(ai)

so is my word^(aj) that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,^(ak) but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose^(al) for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy^(am) and be led forth in peace;^(an) the mountains and hills will burst into song^(ao) before you, and all the trees^(ap) of the field will clap their hands.^(aq)

Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers^(ar) the myrtle^(as) will grow. This will be for the Lord 's renown,^(at) for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever."