Isaiah 54 - Contemporary English Version (CEV)

A Promise of the Lord's Protection

54 (A) Sing and shout,
even though you have never
had children!
The Lord has promised that you
will have more children
than someone married
for a long time.
2 Make your tents larger!
Spread out the tent pegs;
fasten them firmly.
3 You and your descendants
will take over the land
of other nations.
You will settle in towns
that are now in ruins.

4 Don't be afraid or ashamed
and don't be discouraged.
You won't be disappointed.
Forget how sinful you were
when you were young;
stop feeling ashamed
for being left a widow.
5 The Lord All-Powerful,
the Holy God of Israel,
rules all the earth.
He is your Creator and husband,
and he will rescue you.

6 You were like a young wife,
brokenhearted and crying
because her husband
had divorced her.
But the Lord your God says,
“I am taking you back!
7 I rejected you for a while,
but with love and tenderness
I will embrace you again.
8 For a while, I turned away
in furious anger.
Now I will have mercy
and love you forever!
I, your protector and Lord,
make this promise.”

The Lord Promises Lasting Peace

9 (B) I once promised Noah that I
would never again destroy
the earth by a flood.
Now I have promised that I
will never again get angry
and punish you.
10 (C) Every mountain and hill
may disappear.
But I will always be kind
and merciful to you;
I won't break my agreement
to give your nation peace.

The New Jerusalem

11 (D)(E) Jerusalem, you are sad
and discouraged,
tossed around in a storm.
But I, the Lord,
will rebuild your city
with precious stones;[a]
for your foundation
I will use blue sapphires.
12 Your fortresses[b]
will be built of rubies,
your gates of jewels,
and your walls of gems.
13 (F) I will teach your children
and make them successful.

14 You will be built on fairness
with no fears of injustice;
every one of your worries
will be taken far from you.
15 I will never send anyone
to attack your city,
and you will make prisoners
of those who do attack.
16 Don't forget that I created
metalworkers who make weapons
over burning coals.
I also created armies
that can bring destruction.
17 Weapons made to attack you
won't be successful;
words spoken against you
won't hurt at all.

My servants, Jerusalem is yours!
I, the Lord, promise
to bless you with victory.

Footnotes

  1. 54.11 with precious stones: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  2. 54.12 fortresses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Cross references

  1. 54.1 : Ga 4.27.
  2. 54.9 : Gn 9.8-17.
  3. 54.10 : Jdt 16.15.
  4. 54.11,12 : Rev 21.18-21.
  5. 54.11 : Tb 13.16,17.
  6. 54.13 : Jn 6.45.

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54 Sing, O barren, she hath not borne! Break forth with singing, and cry aloud, She hath not brought forth! For more [are] the sons of the desolate, Than the sons of the married one, said Jehovah. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, And the curtains of thy tabernacles they stretch out, Restrain not -- ...
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54 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth; break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says Yahweh.2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habita...
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54 Eternal One: Sing, childless woman, you who have never given birth. Raise a joyful shout, you who have never gone through labor. You, whose husband is dead, will bring forth much more than the fertile one who has a husband.[a]2 Enlarge your house. You are going to need a bigger place; don’t unde...
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Isaiah 54 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Eternal Covenant of Peace54 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in travail!For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curt...
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Isaiah 54 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Eternal Covenant of Peace54 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in travail!For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curt...
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Isaiah 54 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

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Isaiah 54 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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Isaiah 54 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Future Glory for Jerusalem54 “Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth!Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor.For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord.2 “Enlarge your house; build an ...
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Isaiah 54 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Lord Loves Israel54 “Woman, be happy, you who have had no children. Cry for joy, you who have never had the pains of having a child, for you will have many children. Yes, you will have more children than the one who has a husband,” says the Lord. 2 “Make your tent bigger. Spread out the curtain...
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Isaiah 54 - New King James Version (NKJV)

A Perpetual Covenant of Peace54 “Sing, O (A)barren,You who have not borne!Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,You who have not labored with child!For more are the children of the desolateThan the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.2 “Enlarge(B) the place of your tent,And let them stre...
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Isaiah 54 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The future glory of Zion54 ‘Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child;burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labour;because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,’says the Lord.2 ‘Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide,...
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Isaiah 54 - New International Version (NIV)

The Future Glory of Zion54 “Sing, barren woman,(A) you who never bore a child;burst into song, shout for joy,(B) you who were never in labor;(C)because more are the children(D) of the desolate(E) woman than of her who has a husband,(F)”says the Lord.2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,(G) stretch your...
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Isaiah 54 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Jerusalem Will Be Glorious54 “Jerusalem, sing! You are now like a woman who never had a child.Burst into song! Shout for joy! You who have never had labor pains,you are now all alone. But you will have more children than a woman who still has a husband,” says the Lord.2 “Make a large area for your t...
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Isaiah 54 - New English Translation (NET)

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