Isaiah 59 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Sin, confession and redemption

59 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are stained with blood,
your fingers with guilt.
Your lips have spoken falsely,
and your tongue mutters wicked things.
4 No one calls for justice;
no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies;
they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
5 They hatch the eggs of vipers
and spin a spider’s web.
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
6 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.
Their deeds are evil deeds,
and acts of violence are in their hands.
7 Their feet rush into sin;
they are swift to shed innocent blood.
They pursue evil schemes;
acts of violence mark their ways.
8 The way of peace they do not know;
there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;
no one who walks along them will know peace.

9 So justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;
for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble as if it were twilight;
among the strong, we are like the dead.
11 We all growl like bears;
we moan mournfully like doves.
We look for justice, but find none;
for deliverance, but it is far away.

12 For our offences are many in your sight,
and our sins testify against us.
Our offences are ever with us,
and we acknowledge our iniquities:
13 rebellion and treachery against the Lord,
turning our backs on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,
uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice is driven back,
and righteousness stands at a distance;
truth has stumbled in the streets,
honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth is nowhere to be found,
and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased
that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no one,
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm achieved salvation for him,
and his own righteousness sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance
and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
18 According to what they have done,
so will he repay
wrath to his enemies
and retribution to his foes;
he will repay the islands their due.
19 From the west, people will fear the name of the Lord,
and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory.
For he will come like a pent-up flood
that the breath of the Lord drives along.[a]

20 ‘The Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,’
declares the Lord.

21 ‘As for me, this is my covenant with them,’ says the Lord. ‘My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants – from this time on and for ever,’ says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 59:19 Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight

You Might Also Like:

Isaiah 59 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

59 Lo, the hand of Jehovah Hath not been shortened from saving, Nor heavy his ear from hearing. 2 But your iniquities have been separating Between you and your God, And your sins have hidden The Presence from you -- from hearing. 3 For your hands have been polluted with blood, And your fingers with ...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

59 Lo! the hand of the Lord is not abridged, that he may not save, neither his ear is made hard, that he hear not; (Lo! the hand, or the power, of the Lord is not shortened, or weakened, so that he cannot save, nor is his ear made hard, so that he cannot hear;) 2 but your wickednesses have parted be...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - World English Bible (WEB)

59 Behold, Yahweh’s hand is not shortened, that it can’t save; nor his ear dull, that it can’t hear.2 But your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity.You...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - The Voice (VOICE)

59 The Eternal One’s reach is not so short that He cannot save you. His ear is not so deaf that He cannot hear you. Reactions vary to the awful events that sweep over Judah in the wake of the Babylonian invasion. Some people think that the God of Israel is defeated. This is exactly what the Babyloni...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Separation from God59 Behold, Adonai’s hand is not too short to save,nor His ear too dull to hear.2 Rather, your iniquities have made a separationbetween you and your God.Your sins have hidden His face from you,so that He does not hear.3 For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with in...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Injustice and Oppression to Be Punished59 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear.3 For your hands are d...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Injustice and Oppression to Be Punished59 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear.3 For your hands are d...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Injustice and Oppression to Be Punished59 See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.2 Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God,and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.3 For your hands are defiled with blood, an...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Injustice and Oppression to Be Punished59 See, the Lord’s arm is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.(A)2 Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God,and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.(B)3 For your hands are defiled with bloo...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Warnings against Sin59 Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.3 Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filt...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New Life Version (NLV)

Sin Keeps One from God59 See, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save, and His ear is not closed that it cannot hear. 2 But your wrong-doings have kept you away from your God. Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear. 3 For your hands are sinful with blood, you...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Separated from God59 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not (A)shortened,That it cannot save;Nor His ear heavy,That it cannot hear.2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;And your sins have hidden His face from you,So that He will (B)not hear.3 For (C)your hands are defiled with [a]blood,And ...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Sin, confession and redemption59 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.3 For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New International Version (NIV)

Sin, Confession and Redemption59 Surely the arm(A) of the Lord is not too short(B) to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.(C)2 But your iniquities have separated(D) you from your God;your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.(E)3 For your hands are stained with blood,(F) your ...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Lord Sets His People Free59 People of Israel, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you. His ears aren’t too deaf to hear your cry for help.2 But your sins have separated you from your God. They have caused him to turn his face away from you. So he won’t listen to you.3 Your hands and fingers a...
Read More

Isaiah 59 - New English Translation (NET)

Injustice Brings Alienation from God59 Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak[a] to deliver you;his ear is not too deaf to hear you.[b]2 But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God;your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.[c]3 For your hands are stained with bl...
Read More