New English Translation
Isaiah 53:1
1Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?
Isaiah 53:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
- New International Version (NIV)Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Context of Isaiah 53:1
Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord’s power revealed through him? 2He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him. 3He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.
Read all of Isaiah 53Isaiah 53:1 word by word
מִ֥י הֶאֱמִ֖ין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵ֑נוּ וּזְר֥וֹעַ יְהוָ֖ה עַל־מִ֥י נִגְלָֽתָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 53:1
- John 1:7He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him.
- John 12:38so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled. He said, “Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
- Romans 10:16But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
- Isaiah 51:9Wake up! Wake up! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord! Wake up as in former times, as in antiquity! Did you not smash the Proud One? Did you not wound the sea monster?
- Isaiah 52:10The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver.
- Isaiah 62:8The Lord swears an oath by his right hand, by his strong arm: “I will never again give your grain to your enemies as food, and foreigners will not drink your wine, which you worked hard to produce.
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- Ephesians 1:18– since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened – so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
- Isaiah 40:5The splendor of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it at the same time. For the Lord has decreed it.”
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.
- Matthew 16:17And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven!
- Romans 1:17For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 53:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Who hath believed our report? - The report of the prophets, of John the Baptist, and Christ's own report of himself. The Jews did not receive the report, and for this reason he was not manifested to them as the promised Messiah. 'He came unto his own, but his own received him not.' Before the Father he grew up as a tender plant: but to the Jews he was as a root out of a dry ground. 'He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Who hath believed our report? - The main design of the prophet in all this portion of his prophecy is, undoubtedly, to state the fact that the Redeemer would be greatly exalted (see Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:12). But in order to furnish a fair view of his exaltation, it was necessary also to exhibit the depth of his humiliation, and the intensity of his sorrows, and also the fact that he would be rejected by those to whom he was sent. He, therefore, in this…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The person. (Is. 53:1-3) sufferings. (Is. 53:4-9) humiliation, and exaltation of Christ, are minutely described; with the blessings to mankind from his death. (Is. 53:10-12) Verses 1-3 No where in all the Old Testament is it so plainly and fully prophesied, that Christ ought to suffer, and then to enter into his glory, as in this chapter. But to this day few discern, or will acknowledge, that Divine power which goes with the word. The authentic and most…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1our message: Scholars have debated who the speaker could be. The main possibilities are: a faithful remnant of Israel, and Isaiah himself. Most likely, Isaiah the prophet was speaking for and with Israel. the arm: This refers to God's strength, vividly described in the previous chapters (see Isaiah 50:2; 51:5, 9; 52:10). It would show itself in weakness and apparent helplessness through the servant's humiliation and exaltation (see 1 Corinthians 1:27–30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-12The speaker, according to Horsley, personates the repenting Jews in the latter ages of the world coming over to the faith of the Redeemer; the whole is their penitent confession. This view suits the context (Is 52:7-9), which is not to be fully realized until Israel is restored. However, primarily, it is the abrupt exclamation of the prophet: "Who hath believed our report," that of Isaiah and the other prophets, as to Messiah? The infidel's objection from…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 53:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 53
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries