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Jerusalem Can Celebrate

52 (A) Jerusalem, wake up!
    Stand up and be strong.
Holy city of Zion,
    dress in your best clothes.
Those foreigners who ruined
your sacred city
    won't bother you again.
Zion, rise from the dirt!
Free yourself from the rope
    around your neck.

Suffering Will End

The Lord says:
My people, you were sold,
    but not for money;
now you will be set free,
    but not for a payment.
Long ago you went to Egypt
where you lived
    as foreigners.
Then Assyria was cruel to you,
    (B) and now another nation[a]
has taken you prisoner
    for no reason at all.
Your leaders groan with pain,[b]
and day after day
    my own name is cursed.
My people, you will learn
who I am and who is speaking
    because I am here.

A Message of Hope for Jerusalem

(C) What a beautiful sight!
On the mountains a messenger
    announces to Jerusalem,
“Good news! You're saved.
There will be peace.
    Your God is now King.”
Everyone on guard duty,
    sing and celebrate!
Look! You can see the Lord
    returning to Zion.
Jerusalem, rise from the ruins!
    Join in the singing.
The Lord has given comfort
to his people;
    he comes to your rescue.
10 The Lord has shown all nations
    his mighty strength;
now everyone will see
    the saving power of our God.

A Command To Leave Babylon

11 (D) Leave the city of Babylon!
    Don't touch anything filthy.
Wash yourselves. Be ready
to carry back everything sacred
    that belongs to the Lord.
12 You won't need to run.
    No one is chasing you.
The Lord God of Israel
will lead and protect you
    from enemy attacks.

The Suffering Servant

13 The Lord says:
    My servant will succeed!
He will be given great praise
    and the highest honors.
14 Many were horrified
    at what happened to him.[c]
But everyone who saw him
    was even more horrified
because he suffered until
    he no longer looked human.[d]
15 (E) My servant will make
nations worthy to worship me;[e]
    kings will be silent
    as they bow in wonder.[f]
They will see and think about
things they have never seen
    or thought about before.

Footnotes

  1. 52.5 another nation: Babylonia.
  2. 52.5 groan with pain: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  3. 52.14 him: One ancient translation; Hebrew “you.”
  4. 52.14 human: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 14.
  5. 52.15 My … me: Hebrew; one ancient translation “The nations will be amazed at him.”
  6. 52.15 kings … wonder: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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