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About this chapterThe most famous of the servant songs describes one who grew up like a tender shoot, despised and rejected, a man of sorrows familiar with suffering. It says that he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, that he was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities, and that by his wounds we are healed. All like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. Like a lamb led to slaughter, he was silent. He was cut off but will see his offspring, and the will of the Lord will prosper. Christians read this as fulfilled in Jesus; Jewish tradition often reads the servant as Israel.

The most famous of the servant songs describes one who grew up like a tender shoot, despised and rejected, a man of sorrows familiar with suffering. It says that he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, that he was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities, and that by his wounds we are healed. All like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. Like a lamb led to slaughter, he was silent. He was cut off but will see his offspring, and the will of the Lord will prosper. Christians read this as fulfilled in Jesus; Jewish tradition often reads the servant as Israel.

Themes

  • The suffering servant
  • Bearing sin and sorrow
  • Healing through his wounds

Key verses

Audio Bible · Isaiah 53

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Isaiah 53

Berean Standard Bible12 verses · 2 min read

1Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him. 3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people. 9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. 12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

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Verses in Isaiah 53

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