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Isaiah 49:3–6

And he said to me, “You are my servant,

Israel, pin whom I will be glorified.”1

qBut I said, “I have labored in vain;

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my right is with the Lord,

and my recompense with my God.”

rAnd now the Lord says,

he mwho formed me from the womb to be his servant,

to bring Jacob back to him;

and that Israel might be gathered to him—

for sI am honored in the eyes of the Lord,

and my God has become my strength—

he says:

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to bring back the preserved of Israel;

tI will make you uas a light for the nations,

that vmy salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

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Isaiah 49:3–6 — The New International Version (NIV)

He said to me, “You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.”

But I said, “I have labored in vain;

I have spent my strength for nothing at all.

Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,

and my reward is with my God.”

And now the Lord says—

he who formed me in the womb to be his servant

to bring Jacob back to him

and gather Israel to himself,

for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord

and my God has been my strength—

he says:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant

to restore the tribes of Jacob

and bring back those of Israel I have kept.

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

And said unto me, Thou art my servant,

O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Then I said, I have laboured in vain,

I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain:

Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord,

And my work with my God.

And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant,

To bring Jacob again to him,

Though Israel be not gathered,

Yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,

And my God shall be my strength.

And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant

To raise up the tribes of Jacob,

And to restore the preserved of Israel:

I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles,

That thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Isaiah 49:3–6 — New Living Translation (NLT)

He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,

and you will bring me glory.”

I replied, “But my work seems so useless!

I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.

Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand;

I will trust God for my reward.”

And now the Lord speaks—

the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant,

who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him.

The Lord has honored me,

and my God has given me strength.

He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.

I will make you a light to the Gentiles,

and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

“And He said to me,

‘You are My servant, O Israel,

In whom I will be glorified.’

Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain;

Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord,

And my work with my God.’ ”

“And now the Lord says,

Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,

To bring Jacob back to Him,

So that Israel is gathered to Him

(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,

And My God shall be My strength),

Indeed He says,

‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant

To raise up the tribes of Jacob,

And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;

I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,

That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — New Century Version (NCV)

He told me, “Israel, you are my servant.

I will show my glory through you.”

But I said, “I have worked hard for nothing;

I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful.

But the Lord will decide what my work is worth;

God will decide my reward.”

The Lord made me in the body of my mother

to be his servant,

to lead the people of Jacob back to him

so that Israel might be gathered to him.

The Lord will honor me,

and I will get my strength from my God.

Now he told me,

“You are an important servant to me

to bring back the tribes of Jacob,

to bring back the people of Israel who are left alive.

But, more importantly, I will make you a light for all nations

to show people all over the world the way to be saved.”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — American Standard Version (ASV)

and he said unto me, Thou art my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified. But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Jehovah, and my recompense with my God.

And now saith Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered unto him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God is become my strength); yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Isaiah 49:3–6 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

And he said unto me, Thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I will glorify myself. —And I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and in vain; nevertheless my judgment is with Jehovah, and my work with my God. And now, saith Jehovah, that formed me from the womb to be his servant, that I should bring Jacob again to him; (though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorified in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God shall be my strength;) —and he saith, It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I have even given thee for a light of the nations, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Isaiah 49:3–6 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

He said to me, 

“You are my servant Israel. 

I will display my glory through you.” 

But I said, 

“I have worked hard for nothing. 

I have used my strength, but I didn’t accomplish anything. 

Yet, certainly my case is in the Lord’s hands, 

and my reward is with my God.” 

The Lord formed me in the womb to be his servant 

in order to bring Jacob back to him 

and gather Israel to him. 

(The Lord honors me, 

and my God has become my strength.) 

Now, the Lord says, 

“You are not just my servant 

who restores the tribes of Jacob 

and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved. 

I have also made you a light for the nations 

so that you would save people all over the world.” 

Isaiah 49:3–6 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

He said to me, “You are My Servant, Israel;

I will be glorified in him.”

But I myself said: I have labored in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing and futility;

yet my vindication is with the Lord,

and my reward is with my God.

And now, says the Lord,

who formed me from the womb to be His Servant,

to bring Jacob back to Him

so that Israel might be gathered to Him;

for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,

and my God is my strength—

He says,

“It is not enough for you to be My Servant

raising up the tribes of Jacob

and restoring the protected ones of Israel.

I will also make you a light for the nations,

to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

And he said to me, “You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

But I said, “I have labored in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my cause is with the Lord,

and my reward with my God.”

And now the Lord says,

who formed me in the womb to be his servant,

to bring Jacob back to him,

and that Israel might be gathered to him,

for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,

and my God has become my strength—

he says,

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to restore the survivors of Israel;

I will give you as a light to the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

And he said to me, “You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will show my glory.”

But I myself said, “I have labored in vain;

I have used up my strength for nothing and vanity!

Nevertheless, my justice is with Yahweh,

and my reward is with my God.”

And now Yahweh says,

who formed me from the womb as a servant for him,

to bring Jacob back to him,

and that Israel might not be gathered,

for I am honored in the eyes of Yahweh,

and my God has become my strength.

And he says, “It is trivial for you to be a servant for me,

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to bring back the preserved of Israel.

I will give you as a light to the nations,

to be my salvation to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

He said to me, “You are my true servant Israel.

I will show my glory through you.”

But I said, “In spite of my hard work,

I feel as if I haven’t accomplished anything.

I’ve used up all of my strength.

It seems as if everything I’ve done is worthless.

But the Lord will give me what I should receive.

My God will reward me.”

The Lord formed me in my mother’s body to be his servant.

He wanted me to bring the family of Jacob back to him.

He wanted me to gather the people of Israel to himself.

The Lord will honor me.

My God will give me strength.

The Lord says to me,

“It is not enough for you as my servant

to bring the tribes of Jacob back to their land.

It is not enough for you to bring back

the people of Israel I have kept alive.

I will also make you a light for other nations.

Then you will make it possible for the whole world to be saved.”

Isaiah 49:3–6 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel,

In Whom I will show My glory.”

But I said, “I have toiled in vain,

I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity;

Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the Lord,

And My reward with My God.”

And now says the Lord, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,

To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him

(For I am honored in the sight of the Lord,

And My God is My strength),

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant

To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel;

I will also make You a light of the nations

So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”


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