Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city, for there shall no more enter into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Wake up, wake up, Zion! Be strong! Put on your best clothes, Jerusalem, the holy city. Heathen foreigners won't ever enter you again.
2 Shake yourself from the dust. Arise, sit up, Jerusalem. Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion.
Shake yourself free from the dust and get up. Sit on your throne, Jerusalem. Throw off the chains around your neck, captive daughter of Zion.
3 For thus says the LORD, "You were sold for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money."
This is what the Lord says: You were sold for nothing, and you will be bought back without money.
4 For thus says the LORD, "My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there, and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
This is what the Lord God says: First of all, my people went to live in Egypt, then Assyria conquered them for no reason.
5 "Now therefore, what do I do here," says the LORD, "seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock," says the LORD. "Because of you, my name is continually all the day blasphemed among the nations.
What do have I to do now? asks the Lord. My people have been taken into captivity for no reason. Those who rule them mock them, and I'm treated with contempt that whole time, says the Lord.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name; in that day they will know that I am he who speaks; look, it is I."
So I'm going to make sure my people know me; at that time they will know that I am the one who means what he says. Yes, it's me!
7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good things, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."
What a wonderful sight in the mountains is the one running to bring good news, announcing peace and good news, announcing salvation, telling Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 The voice of your watchmen. They lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD returns to Zion with compassion.
The city watchmen shout loudly and sing for joy together; they all see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.
9 Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
Let Jerusalem's ruins all sing for joy for the Lord has come to care for his people; he has set Jerusalem free.
10 The LORD has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and every part of the earth has seen the salvation of our God.
The Lord has demonstrated his holy power to all the nations; the whole world will see our God's salvation.
11 Depart, depart, go out from there, and touch no unclean thing. Go out from their midst, and be separate, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.
Leave, leave, get out of there! Don't bring anything pagan; come out and leave it all behind. Those of you who carry the Lord's sacred articles are to purify yourselves.
12 For you shall not depart in haste, nor shall you leave in flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
But don't leave in a hurry, don't be in a rush as if you're running away, for the Lord will go ahead of you, and he will also protect those at the back.
13 Look, my servant shall deal wisely, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.
Look: my servant will act wisely; he will be praised highly, he will be elevated in position, and seen as someone people look up to.
14 Just as many were astonished at you (his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men),
But many were horrified by him, so disfigured in appearance, no longer looking like a man, so unlike anyone human.
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at him. For that which was not told about him, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
He will surprise many nations, and kings will keep quiet because of him—for they'll see what they haven't been told, and they'll understand what they hadn't heard.
