Isaiah 42

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Ref See my servant, whom I am supporting, my loved one, in whom I take delight: I have put my spirit on him; he will give the knowledge of the true God to the nations.

2 Ref He will make no cry, his voice will not be loud: his words will not come to men's ears in the streets.

3 Ref He will not let a crushed stem be quite broken, and he will not let a feebly burning light be put out: he will go on sending out the true word to the peoples.

4 Ref His light will not be put out, and he will not be crushed, till he has given the knowledge of the true God to the earth, and the sea-lands will be waiting for his teaching.

5 Ref God the Lord, even he who made the heavens, measuring them out on high; stretching out the earth, and giving its produce; he who gives breath to the people on it, and life to those who go about on it, says:

6 Ref I the Lord have made you the vessel of my purpose, I have taken you by the hand, and kept you safe, and I have given you to be an agreement to the people, and a light to the nations:

7 Ref To give eyes to the blind, to make free the prisoners from the prison, to let out those who are shut up in the dark.

8 Ref I am the Lord; that is my name: I will not give my glory to another, or my praise to pictured images.

9 Ref See, the things said before have come about, and now I give word of new things: before they come I give you news of them.

10 Ref Make a new song to the Lord, and let his praise be sounded from the end of the earth; you who go down to the sea, and everything in it, the sea-lands and their people.

11 Ref Let the waste land and its flocks be glad, the tent-circles of Kedar; let the people of the rock give a glad cry, from the top of the mountains let them make a sound of joy.

12 Ref Let them give glory to the Lord, sounding his praise in the sea-lands.

13 Ref The Lord will go out as a man of war, he will be moved to wrath like a fighting-man: his voice will be strong, he will give a loud cry; he will go against his attackers like a man of war.

14 Ref I have long been quiet, I have kept myself in and done nothing: now I will make sounds of pain like a woman in childbirth, breathing hard and quickly.

15 Ref I will make waste mountains and hills, drying up all their plants; and I will make rivers dry, and pools dry land.

16 Ref And I will take the blind by a way of which they had no knowledge, guiding them by roads strange to them: I will make the dark places light before them, and the rough places level. These things will I do and will not give them up.

17 Ref They will be turned back and be greatly shamed who put their hope in pictured images, who say to metal images, You are our gods.

18 Ref Give ear, you whose ears are shut; and let your eyes be open, you blind, so that you may see.

19 Ref Who is blind, but my servant? who has his ears stopped, but he whom I send? who is blind as my true one, or who has his ears shut like the Lord's servant?

20 Ref Seeing much, but keeping nothing in mind; his ears are open, but there is no hearing.

21 Ref It was the Lord's pleasure, because of his righteousness, to make the teaching great and give it honour.

22 Ref But this is a people whose property has been taken away from them by force; they are all taken in holes, and shut up in prisons: they are made prisoners, and no one makes them free; they are taken by force and no one says, Give them back.

23 Ref Who is there among you who will give ear to this? who will give attention to it for the time to come?

24 Ref Who gave up Jacob to those who took away his goods, and Israel to his attackers? Did not the Lord? he against whom they did wrong, and in whose ways they would not go, turning away from his teaching.

25 Ref For this reason he let loose on him the heat of his wrath, and his strength was like a flame; and it put fire round about him, but he did not see it; he was burned, but did not take it to heart.

American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)

1 Ref Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

2 Ref He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.

3 Ref A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth.

4 Ref He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.

5 Ref Thus saith God Jehovah, he that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad the earth and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

6 Ref I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7 Ref to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.

8 Ref I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images.

9 Ref Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10 Ref Sing unto Jehovah a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

11 Ref Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up `their voice', the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12 Ref Let them give glory unto Jehovah, and declare his praise in the islands.

13 Ref Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man; he will stir up `his' zeal like a man of war: he will cry, yea, he will shout aloud; he will do mightily against his enemies.

14 Ref I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: `now' will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will gasp and pant together.

15 Ref I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.

16 Ref And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; in paths that they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things will I do, and I will not forsake them.

17 Ref They shall be turned back, they shall be utterly put to shame, that trust in graven images, that say unto molten images, Ye are our gods.

18 Ref Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

19 Ref Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I send? who is blind as he that is at peace `with me', and blind as Jehovah's servant?

20 Ref Thou seest many things, but thou observest not; his ears are open, but he heareth not.

21 Ref It pleased Jehovah, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

22 Ref But this is a people robbed and plundered; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

23 Ref Who is there among you that will give ear to this? that will hearken and hear for the time to come?

24 Ref Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not Jehovah? he against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient unto his law.

25 Ref Therefore he poured upon him the fierceness of his anger, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

World English Bible (WEB)

1 Ref Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

2 Ref He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.

3 Ref A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth.

4 Ref He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.

5 Ref Thus says God Yahweh, he who created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he who spread abroad the earth and that which comes out of it; he who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk therein:

6 Ref I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7 Ref to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison-house.

8 Ref I am Yahweh, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to engraved images.

9 Ref Behold, the former things have happened, and new things do I declare. Before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10 Ref Sing to Yahweh a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth; you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles, and the inhabitants of it.

11 Ref Let the wilderness and the cities of it lift up [their voice], the villages that Kedar does inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12 Ref Let them give glory to Yahweh, and declare his praise in the islands.

13 Ref Yahweh will go forth as a mighty man; he will stir up [his] zeal like a man of war: he will cry, yes, he will shout aloud; he will do mightily against his enemies.

14 Ref I have long time held my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: [now] will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will gasp and pant together.

15 Ref I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.

16 Ref I will bring the blind by a way that they don't know; in paths that they don't know will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things will I do, and I will not forsake them.

17 Ref They shall be turned back, they shall be utterly disappointed, who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, You are our gods.

18 Ref Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see.

19 Ref Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace, and blind as Yahweh's servant?

20 Ref You see many things, but don't observe. His ears are open, but he doesn't hear.

21 Ref It pleased Yahweh, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

22 Ref But this is a people robbed and plundered; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses: they are for a prey, and none delivers; for a spoil, and none says, Restore.

23 Ref Who is there among you who will give ear to this? who will listen and hear for the time to come?

24 Ref Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Didn't Yahweh? he against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient to his law.

25 Ref Therefore he poured on him the fierceness of his anger, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire round about, yet he didn't know; and it burned him, yet he didn't lay it to heart.

Chapter 42 of 66

Begin Your Journey of Faith

We all start at different points in our walk with Christ. No matter where you are, we're here to support you as you grow in faith.

Accept Jesus Christ as Your Savior

If you haven’t made the decision to follow Jesus yet, we want to walk with you as you discover the new life He offers.

Read "A Truly Free Gift"

What Guides Our Walk With Christ

Discover the biblical truths and core beliefs that shape how we live, serve, and walk faithfully with Christ each day.

Explore Our Beliefs

Join a Community of Believers

Don’t walk through life alone. Find others to connect with, whether in person or online, and grow together in Christ.

Discover Where We Meet