1 Who would have believed what we heard? Who could have imagined the Lord would show his power like this? The speaker expresses disbelief that God would work through someone so humble and rejected. The message is surprising and hard to accept.
2 He grew up in front of God like a small plant, like a root pushing up through dry ground. He didn’t look impressive or attractive—nothing about him made us want to pay attention. The servant’s beginnings are humble and unremarkable. He doesn’t fit people’s expectations of greatness or beauty.
3 People ignored him and turned away. He was familiar with pain and suffering. We didn’t value him at all—he was someone people avoided. The servant is rejected and dismissed by others. He experiences deep suffering and is treated as worthless.
4 But the truth is, he carried our pain and took on our suffering. We thought God was punishing him, that he was getting what he deserved. People misunderstood his suffering, assuming it was his own fault, but in reality he was bearing the pain and consequences that belonged to others.
5 But he was wounded because of our rebellion, crushed because of our wrongdoing. He took the punishment that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed. The servant suffers not for his own sins, but for the sins of others. His pain brings healing and reconciliation.
6 All of us have wandered off like lost sheep, each of us going our own way. But the Lord put all our guilt on him. Everyone has gone astray, but God places the consequences of everyone’s wrongdoing on the servant.
7 He was mistreated and oppressed, but he didn’t fight back or even say a word. Like a lamb being led to be killed, or a sheep staying quiet while it’s being sheared, he didn’t open his mouth. The servant accepts his suffering without protest, showing humility and submission even in the face of injustice.
8 He was taken away by force and judged unfairly. Who cared about what happened to him? He was cut off from the land of the living, punished for the wrongdoing of my people. The servant is unjustly condemned and killed, suffering on behalf of others. Few recognize or care about his fate.
9 They buried him with the wicked, and with the rich when he died, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong or spoken a lie. Despite his innocence, the servant is treated like a criminal in death, but also strangely associated with the wealthy.
10 But it was the Lord’s plan to crush him and make him suffer. When he offers his life as a sacrifice for others, he’ll see his descendants, he’ll live a long life, and the Lord’s purpose will succeed through him. God allows the servant’s suffering as part of a greater plan. Through his sacrifice, he will see lasting results and fulfillment.
11 After all his suffering, he’ll see the results and be satisfied. Because he did what was right, he’ll make many people right with God, taking on their guilt himself. The servant’s suffering leads to many being made right with God. He bears their guilt and is ultimately satisfied by the outcome.
12 So I’ll give him a place among the great, and he’ll share in the rewards of the strong, because he gave himself up to death and was counted among wrongdoers. He carried the sins of many and stood up for those who were guilty. The servant is honored because he willingly suffered and died for others, taking on their sins and interceding for them.
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