A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES
Key verse: 6b
NIV
The Servant of the Lord
49 Listen(A) to me, you islands;(B)
hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born(C) the Lord called(D) me;
from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.(E)
2 He made my mouth(F) like a sharpened sword,(G)
in the shadow of his hand(H) he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow(I)
and concealed me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant,(J)
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.(K)”
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;(L)
I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,(M)
and my reward(N) is with my God.”(O)
5 And now the Lord says—
he who formed me in the womb(P) to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel(Q) to himself,
for I am[a] honored(R) in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength(S)—
6 he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant(T)
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.(U)
I will also make you a light(V) for the Gentiles,(W)
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”(X)
7 This is what the Lord says—
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel(Y)—
to him who was despised(Z) and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
“Kings(AA) will see you and stand up,
princes will see and bow down,(AB)
because of the Lord, who is faithful,(AC)
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen(AD) you.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 49:5 Or him, / but Israel would not be gathered; / yet I will be
Cross references
- Isaiah 49:1 : S Isa 33:13
- Isaiah 49:1 : S Isa 11:11
- Isaiah 49:1 : Isa 44:24; 46:3; Mt 1:20
- Isaiah 49:1 : Isa 7:14; 9:6; 44:2; Jer 1:5; Gal 1:15
- Isaiah 49:1 : S Ex 33:12; S Isa 43:1
- Isaiah 49:2 : S Job 40:18
- Isaiah 49:2 : S Ps 64:3; Eph 6:17; S Rev 1:16
- Isaiah 49:2 : S Ex 33:22; S Ps 91:1
- Isaiah 49:2 : S Dt 32:23; Zec 9:13
- Isaiah 49:3 : S Isa 20:3; Zec 3:8
- Isaiah 49:3 : S Lev 10:3; S Isa 44:23
- Isaiah 49:4 : S Lev 26:20; Isa 55:2; 65:23
- Isaiah 49:4 : Isa 45:25; 50:8; 53:10; 54:17
- Isaiah 49:4 : S Isa 35:4
- Isaiah 49:4 : S Job 27:2
- Isaiah 49:5 : S Ps 139:13; Gal 1:15
- Isaiah 49:5 : S Dt 30:4; S Isa 11:12
- Isaiah 49:5 : S Isa 43:4
- Isaiah 49:5 : S Ps 18:1
- Isaiah 49:6 : S ver 3
- Isaiah 49:6 : Isa 1:9
- Isaiah 49:6 : S Isa 9:2; Jn 1:9
- Isaiah 49:6 : S Isa 26:18; 55:5; Zec 8:22; S Lk 2:32
- Isaiah 49:6 : S Dt 30:4; S Ps 48:10; S Mt 28:19; Jn 11:52; Ac 13:47*
- Isaiah 49:7 : S Isa 48:17
- Isaiah 49:7 : S Ps 22:6; 69:7-9
- Isaiah 49:7 : S Ezr 1:2; Isa 52:15
- Isaiah 49:7 : S Ge 27:29; S Ps 22:29; S 86:9
- Isaiah 49:7 : S Dt 7:9; S 1Co 1:9
- Isaiah 49:7 : S Isa 14:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Servant of the Lord
49 Listen to me, (A)O coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples (B)from afar.
(C)The Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name.
2 (D)He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
(E)in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.
3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, (F)in whom I will be glorified.”[a]
4 (G)But 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.”
5 (H)And now the Lord says,
he (I)who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him—
for (J)I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
6 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;
(K)I will make you (L)as a light for the nations,
that (M)my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
7 Thus says the Lord,
(N)the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
(O)to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,
the servant of rulers:
(P)“Kings shall see and arise;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 49:3 Or I will display my beauty
Cross references
- Isaiah 49:1 : See ch. 11:11
- Isaiah 49:1 : ch. 33:13
- Isaiah 49:1 : See ch. 44:2
- Isaiah 49:2 : ch. 11:4; Hos. 6:5; [Heb. 4:12; Rev. 1:16]
- Isaiah 49:2 : ch. 51:16
- Isaiah 49:3 : ch. 44:23
- Isaiah 49:4 : [ch. 65:23]; See ch. 50:6-8; 53:10-12
- Isaiah 49:5 : [ch. 50:4]
- Isaiah 49:5 : [See ver. 1 above]; See ch. 44:2
- Isaiah 49:5 : [ch. 52:13]
- Isaiah 49:6 : Cited Acts 13:47
- Isaiah 49:6 : ch. 42:6
- Isaiah 49:6 : [Ps. 98:3]
- Isaiah 49:7 : ch. 48:17
- Isaiah 49:7 : ver. 1; ch. 53:3; [ch. 50:6, 7]
- Isaiah 49:7 : ver. 23
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Prayer: Lord, thank you for using me in greater ways than I realize. Help me serve you this year with confidence in your calling.
One Word: God uses us for world salvation