Isa 53 | EE | STEP | It almost seems that nobody has believed our message. And it almost seems that nobody has seen the Arm of the LORD.

Isaiah 53

1 It almost seems that nobody has believed our message. And it almost seems that nobody has seen the Arm of the LORD. ^{▼▼53:1 The words ‘our message’ may mean ‘God’s message’.} ^{▼▼53:1 Many Christians believe that the Arm of the LORD is a name for Jesus.}

2 The Servant grew up in front of him (the LORD) like a weak plant. And he grew like a plant that grows from a root in dry ground. He was not beautiful and he did not seem like a king. We had no interest in him. We looked at him. But there was nothing that would cause us to want him.

3 People did not like him. And they caused him to go away. He was a man who often felt very sad. And he knew what pain felt like. He was like someone that people hid their faces from. People did not like him. And we decided that he was not worth anything.

4 Surely, he lifted up our pain from us! And he took away the things that cause us to feel sad. But we thought that he had become ill. We thought that God had hit him very badly. And we thought that he was sick.

5 God let people put a sword into him, but we had done the wrong things. God let people hurt him because of our sins. God did to him the punishment that caused peace for us. His wounds have given health to us.

6 We have all gone away, like sheep. Each of us has turned to his own way. And the LORD has put all our sins on him.

7 People were very cruel to him, but he was always quiet. And he did not open his mouth. People led him away like a lamb to kill him. A sheep is quiet when they cut off its hairy coat. In the same way, he did not open his mouth.

8 They took him to a court. But they were not fair to him. They decided that he must die. So they took him away to die. And none of his people said that it was wrong. They did not let him stay in the country where people are alive. They hit him very badly because of the sins of my people.

9 They gave to him a grave with very bad people. But he was with a rich man in his deaths. They did those things. But he had not done anything that hurt people. Also, he had not said anything that was not true. ^{▼▼53:9 Verse 9 The word ‘deaths’ is plural in the Hebrew Bible. Isaiah’s book is in the Hebrew Bible.}

10 But it was the LORD‘s idea to hurt him. And the LORD has caused him to suffer. The LORD caused people to hurt him. The LORD offered his life for sin, but the servant will see his children. He will continue to live after his death.

11 Death will hurt his spirit. But what happens as a result will make him happy. My very good servant will make many people very good, because they know him. And he will carry their sins away.

12 So, I will give many peoples to him. And he will have the strong people as his gift. These are the reasons. He poured out his life until he died. He let people count him in with bad people. Also, he carried the sin of many people. And he prayed for the people who had not obeyed God’s rules.