The Lord Will Vindicate His Servant

52:13 “Look, my servant will succeed!20

He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted21—

52:14 (just as many were horrified by the sight of you)22

he was so disfigured23 he no longer looked like a man;24

52:15 his form was so marred he no longer looked human25—

so now26 he will startle27 many nations.

Kings will be shocked by his exaltation,28

for they will witness something unannounced to them,

and they will understand something they had not heard about.

53:1 Who would have believed1 what we2 just heard?3

When4 was the Lord’s power5 revealed through him?

53:2 He sprouted up like a twig before God,6

like a root out of parched soil;7

he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention,8

no special appearance that we should want to follow him.9

53:3 He was despised and rejected by people,10

one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;

people hid their faces from him;11

he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.12

53:4 But he lifted up our illnesses,

he carried our pain;13

even though we thought he was being punished,

attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.14

53:5 He was wounded because of15 our rebellious deeds,

crushed because of our sins;

he endured punishment that made us well;16

because of his wounds we have been healed.17

53:6 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.18

53:7 He was treated harshly and afflicted,19

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.20

53:8 He was led away after an unjust trial21—

but who even cared?22

Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living;23

because of the rebellion of his own24 people he was wounded.

53:9 They intended to bury him with criminals,25

but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb,26

because27 he had committed no violent deeds,

nor had he spoken deceitfully.

53:10 Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill,

once restitution is made,28

he will see descendants and enjoy long life,29

and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.

53:11 Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,

he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done.30

“My servant31 will acquit many,32

for he carried their sins.33

53:12 So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes,34

he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful,35

because he willingly submitted36 to death

and was numbered with the rebels,

when he lifted up the sin of many

and intervened37 on behalf of the rebels.”