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Isaiah 9:1–2

For to Us a Child Is Born

1 But there will be no ggloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he hbrought into contempt the land of iZebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he jhas made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.2

3 iThe people kwho walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of ldeep darkness,

on them has light shone.

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Isaiah 9:1–2 — The New International Version (NIV)

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation,

When at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

And afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea,

Beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:

They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — New Living Translation (NLT)

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.

 The people who walk in darkness

will see a great light.

For those who live in a land of deep darkness,

a light will shine.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,

As when at first He lightly esteemed

The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

And afterward more heavily oppressed her,

By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,

In Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walked in darkness

Have seen a great light;

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,

Upon them a light has shined.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — New Century Version (NCV)

But suddenly there will be no more gloom for the land that suffered. In the past God made the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali hang their heads in shame, but in the future those lands will be made great. They will stretch from the road along the Mediterranean Sea to the land beyond the Jordan River and north to Galilee, the land of people who are not Israelites.

Before those people lived in darkness,

but now they have seen a great light.

They lived in a dark land,

but a light has shined on them.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — American Standard Version (ASV)

But there shall be no gloom to her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

Nevertheless the darkness shall not be as when the distress was in the land, at the time he at first lightly, and afterwards heavily, visited the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, —the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them light hath shone.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

But there will be no more gloom 

for the land that is in distress. 

God humbled the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali in earlier times. 

But in the future he will bring glory to the road by the sea, 

to the land across the Jordan River, 

to Galilee, where foreigners live. 

The people who walk in darkness will see a bright light. 

The light will shine on those who live in the land of death’s shadow. 

Isaiah 9:1–2 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.

The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

a light has dawned

on those living in the land of darkness.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness—

on them light has shined.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

But there will be no gloom for those who were in distress.

In former times he treated the land of Zebulun and Naphtali with contempt, but in the future he will honor the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

light has shined on those who lived in a land of darkness.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

But there won’t be any more sadness for those who were suffering. In the past the Lord brought shame on the land of Zebulun. He also brought shame on the land of Naphtali. But in days to come he will honor Galilee, where people from other nations live. He will honor the land along the Mediterranean Sea. And he will honor the territory east of the Jordan River.

The people who are now living in darkness

will see a great light.

They are now living in a very dark land.

But a light will shine on them.

Isaiah 9:1–2 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walk in darkness

Will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land,

The light will shine on them.


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