Bible / Isaias
Isaias 42
Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (1749–1752), the traditional Catholic English Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate. If you read a modern Bible, this is the same Scripture in older English; some names are spelled differently (Cesarea for Caesarea, Apocalypse for Revelation). About this translation
1 Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor have respect to person, neither shall his voice be heard abroad.
3 The bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench, he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not be sad, nor troublesome, till he set judgment in the earth, and the islands shall wait for his law.
5 Thus saith the Lord God that created the heavens, and stretched them out: that established the earth, and the things that spring out of it: that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that tread thereon.
6 I the Lord have called thee in justice, and taken thee by the hand, and preserved thee. And I have given thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles:
7 That thou mightest open the eyes of the blind, and bring forth the prisoner out of prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
8 I the Lord, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things.
9 The things that were first, behold they are come: and new things do I declare: before they spring forth, I will make you hear them.
10 Sing ye to the Lord a new song, his praise is from the ends of the earth: you that go down to the sea, and all that are therein: ye islands, and ye inhabitants of them.
11 Let the desert and the cities thereof be exalted: Cedar shall dwell in houses: ye inhabitants of Petra, give praise, they shall cry from the top of the mountains.
12 They shall give glory to the Lord, and shall declare his praise in the islands.
13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, as a man of war shall he stir up zeal: he shall shout and cry: he shall prevail against his enemies.
14 I have always held my peace, I have kept silence, I have been patient, I will speak now as a woman in labour: I will destroy, and swallow up at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and will make all their grass to wither: and I will turn rivers into islands, and will dry up the standing pools.
16 And I will lead the blind into the way which they know not: and in the paths which they were ignorant of I will make them walk: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight: these things have I done to them, and have not forsaken them.
17 They are turned back: let them be greatly confounded, that trust in a graven thing, that say to a molten thing: You are our god.
18 Hear, ye deaf, and, ye blind, behold that you may see.
19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, but he to whom I have sent my messengers? Who is blind, but he that is sold? or who is blind, but the servant of the Lord?
20 Thou that seest many things, wilt thou not observe them? thou that hast ears open, wilt thou not hear?
21 And the Lord was willing to sanctify him, and to magnify the law, and exalt it.
22 But this is a people that is robbed and wasted: they are all the snare of young men, and they are hid in the houses of prisons: they are made a prey, and there is none to deliver them: a spoil, and there is none that saith: Restore.
23 Who is there among you that will give ear to this, that will attend and hearken for times to come?
24 Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to robbers? hath not the Lord himself, against whom we have sinned? And they would not walk in his ways, and they have not hearkened to his law.
25 And he hath poured out upon him the indignation of his fury, and a strong battle, and hath burnt him round about, and he knew not: and set him on fire, and he understood not.
This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church
Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text. The Catechism uses modern verse numbers, so these are listed by chapter.
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 536 “The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself…”
- CCC 555 “For a moment Jesus discloses his divine glory, confirming Peter's confession. He also reveals that he will have to go by the…”
- CCC 713 “The Messiah's characteristics are revealed above all in the "Servant songs." These songs proclaim the meaning of Jesus' Passion and show how…”
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXXV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:2 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXXV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:3 in modern BiblesCCC 580
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 580 “The perfect fulfilment of the Law could be the work of none but the divine legislator, born subject to the Law in…”
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXXV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… in a more gentle manner; and the Lord's advent as a man was pointed out, that it should be subsequent to that law which was given by Moses, mild and tranquil, in which He would neither break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:4 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXXV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:5 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“The Lord God of hosts shall go forth, He shall destroy war utterly, He shall stir up zeal, and He shall cry aloud to the enemies with strength.' ”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter LXV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… for the Lord hath spoken." And again: "Thus saith the Lord God, who made the heaven, and stretched it out; who established the earth, and the things in it; and who giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them who walk therein.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“And for this reason Isaiah said, "Thus saith the Lord, who made heaven and established it, who founded the earth and the things therein, and gave breath to the people upon it, and Spirit to those walking upon it;”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:6 in modern BiblesCCC 580
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 580 “The perfect fulfilment of the Law could be the work of none but the divine legislator, born subject to the Law in…”
“… Thee; and I have given Thee for a covenant to the people, for a light to the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, and to bring forth from fetters them that are bound, and those that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.”
Quoted in The Letter of Barnabas, Unknown author (early 2nd century), Chapter XIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… strengthen Thee; and I have given Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out them that are bound from the chains, and those who sit in darkness from the prison-house.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XXVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold Thine hand, and will strengthen Thee, and will give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out the prisoners from their bonds.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:7 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“… Thee; and I have given Thee for a covenant to the people, for a light to the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, and to bring forth from fetters them that are bound, and those that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.”
Quoted in The Letter of Barnabas, Unknown author (early 2nd century), Chapter XIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… strengthen Thee; and I have given Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out them that are bound from the chains, and those who sit in darkness from the prison-house.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XXVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:8 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“… not what to say about the Scripture which Isaiah writes, in which God says that He gives not His glory to another, speaking thus I am the Lord God; this is my name; my glory will I not give to another, nor my virtues.' ”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter LXV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:10 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“His beginning (initium), His name is glorified from the height of the earth: they declare His powers in the isles.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter IX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:16 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“And I am witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 42:19 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“You see often, but have not observed; your ears have been opened, and you have not heard.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
A modern English Catholic translation will be added once its publisher grants permission.