Isaiah 52 NLT

Deliverance for Jerusalem

1Wake up, wake up, O Zion!

Clothe yourself with strength.

Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem,

for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.

2Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem.

Sit in a place of honor.

Remove the chains of slavery from your neck,

O captive daughter of Zion.

3For this is what the Lord says:

“When I sold you into exile,

I received no payment.

Now I can redeem you

without having to pay for you.”

4This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Long ago my people chose to live in Egypt. Now they are oppressed by Assyria. 5What is this?” asks the Lord. “Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long.^a 6But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.”

7How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,

the good news of peace and salvation,

the news that the God of Israel^b reigns!

8The watchmen shout and sing with joy,

for before their very eyes

they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.^c

9Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song,

for the Lord has comforted his people.

He has redeemed Jerusalem.

10The Lord has demonstrated his holy power

before the eyes of all the nations.

All the ends of the earth will see

the victory of our God.

11Get out! Get out and leave your captivity,

where everything you touch is unclean.

Get out of there and purify yourselves,

you who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord.

12You will not leave in a hurry,

running for your lives.

For the Lord will go ahead of you;

yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.

The Lord’s Suffering Servant

13See, my servant will prosper;

he will be highly exalted.

14But many were amazed when they saw him.^d

His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human,

and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.

15And he will startle^e many nations.

Kings will stand speechless in his presence.

For they will see what they had not been told;

they will understand what they had not heard about.^f

Footnotes:
a 52:5 Greek version reads The Gentiles continually blaspheme my name because of you. Compare Rom 2:24.
b 52:7 Hebrew of Zion.
c 52:8 Hebrew to Zion.
d 52:14 As in Syriac version; Hebrew reads you.
e 52:15a Or cleanse.
f 52:15b Greek version reads Those who have never been told about him will see, / and those who have never heard of him will understand. Compare Rom 15:21.