God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 57:16
16I will not accuse you forever. I will not be angry with you forever. Otherwise, the spirits, the lives of those I’ve made, would grow faint in my presence.
Isaiah 57:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
- New International Version (NIV)I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me— the very people I have created.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.
Context of Isaiah 57:16
14It will be said: “Build a road! Build a road! Prepare the way! Remove every obstacle in the way of my people!” 15The High and Lofty One lives forever, and his name is holy. This is what he says: I live in a high and holy place. But I am with those who are crushed and humble. I will renew the spirit of those who are humble and the courage of those who are crushed. I will not accuse you forever. I will not be angry with you forever. Otherwise, the spirits, the lives of those I’ve made, would grow faint in my presence. 17I was angry because of their sinful greed, so I punished them, hid ⌞from them⌟, and remained angry. But they continued to be sinful. 18I’ve seen their ⌞sinful⌟ ways, but I’ll heal them. I’ll guide them and give them rest. I’ll comfort them and their mourners.
Read all of Isaiah 57Isaiah 57:16 word by word
כִּ֣י לֹ֤א לְעוֹלָם֙ אָרִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א לָנֶ֖צַח אֶקְּצ֑וֹף כִּי־ר֙וּחַ֙ מִלְּפָנַ֣י יַֽעֲט֔וֹף וּנְשָׁמ֖וֹת אֲנִ֥י עָשִֽׂיתִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For I will not contendרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
- for everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- neither will I be alwaysנֵ֫צַחnetsach nêtsach · perpetuityH5331
- wrothקָצַףqâtsaph · be angryH7107
- for the spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- should failעָטַף‛âţaph · be feebleH5848
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- me, and the soulsנְשָׁמָהneshâmâh · breathH5397
- I have madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
Cross-references for Isaiah 57:16
- Psalms 78:38But he is compassionate. He forgave their sin. He did not destroy them. He restrained his anger many times. He did not display all of his fury.
- Psalms 85:5Will you be angry with us forever? Will you ever let go of your anger in the generations to come?
- Psalms 103:9He will not always accuse us of wrong or be angry ⌞with us⌟ forever.
- Jeremiah 10:24Correct me, O Lord, but please be fair. Don’t correct me when you’re angry. Otherwise, you’ll reduce me to nothing.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you? You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because you would rather show mercy.
- Isaiah 42:5The Lord God created the heavens and stretched them out. He shaped the earth and all that comes from it. He gave life to the people who are on it and breath to those who walk on it. This is what the Lord God says:
- Numbers 16:22Immediately, they bowed with their faces touching the ground and said, “O God, you are the God who gives the breath of life to everyone! If one man sins, will you be angry with the whole community?”
- Job 34:14If he thought only of himself and withdrew his Spirit and his breath,
- Ecclesiastes 12:7Then the dust ⌞of mortals⌟ goes back to the ground as it was before, and the breath of life goes back to God who gave it.
- Jeremiah 38:16So King Zedekiah secretly swore an oath to Jeremiah, “The Lord gave us life. As the Lord lives, I will not kill you or hand you over to these men who want to kill you.”
- Zechariah 12:1This is the prophetic revelation, the Lord’s word about Israel. The Lord—who spread out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit in a person—says,
- Hebrews 12:9On earth we have fathers who disciplined us, and we respect them. Shouldn’t we place ourselves under the authority of God, the father of spirits, so that we will live?
Commentaries on Isaiah 57:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16For I will not contend for ever - The learned have taken a great deal of pains to little purpose on the latter part of this verses which they suppose to be very obscure. After all their labors upon it, I think the best and easiest explication of it is given in the two following elegant passages of the Psalms, which I presume are exactly parallel to it, and very clearly express the same sentiment. "But he in his tender mercy will forgive their sin And will…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16For I will not contend for ever - I will not be angry with my people forever, nor always refuse to pardon and comfort them (see Psalm 103:9). This is to be regarded as having been primarily addressed to the Jews in their long and painful exile in Babylon. It is, however, couched in general language; and the idea is, that although God would punish his people for their sins, yet his wrath would not be perpetual. If they were his children, he would visit…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-21Verses 13-21 The idols and their worshippers shall come to nothing; but those who trust in God's grace, shall be brought to the joys of heaven. With the Lord there is neither beginning of days, nor end of life, nor change of time. His name is holy, and all must know him as a holy God. He will have tender regard to those who bring their mind to their condition, and dread his wrath. He will make his abode with those whose hearts he has thus humbled, in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-21The Lord promises to be with the humble, heal them, and give them peace. This promise is for all citizens of Zion, both Jews and non-Jews. The holy one offers salvation to the humble and deals fairly with the wicked.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. For--referring to the promise in Is 57:14, 15, of restoring Israel when "contrite" (Ge 6:3; 8:21; Psa 78:38, 39; 85:5; 103:9, 13, 14; Mi 7:18). God "will not contend for ever" with His people, for their human spirit would thereby be utterly crushed, whereas God's object is to chasten, not to destroy them (La 3:33, 34; Mi 7:8, 9). With the ungodly He is "angry every day" (Psa 7:11; Re 14:11). spirit ... before me--that is, the human spirit which went…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 57:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 57
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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