Bible / Isaias
Isaias 53
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 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 And he shall grow up as a tender plant before him, and as a root out of a thirsty ground: there is no beauty in him, nor comeliness: and we have seen him, and there was no sightliness, that we should be desirous of him:
3 Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity: and his look was as it were hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.
8 He was taken away from distress, and from judgment: who shall declare his generation? because he is cut off out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him.
9 And he shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death: because he hath done no iniquity, neither was there deceit in his mouth.
10 And the Lord was pleased to bruise him in infirmity: if he shall lay down his life for sin, he shall see a longlived seed, and the will of the Lord shall be prosperous in his hand.
11 Because his soul hath laboured, he shall see and be filled: by his knowledge shall this my just servant justify many, and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.
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.
- Isaias 53:1 in modern BiblesCCC 591
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 591 “Jesus asked the religious authorities of Jerusalem to believe in him because of the Father's works which he accomplished. But such an…”
“We have preached before Him as if [He were] a child, as if a root in a dry ground.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XLII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 53:2 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“We have preached before Him as if [He were] a child, as if a root in a dry ground.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XLII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“that He was a man without comeliness, and liable to suffering;”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 53:5 in modern BiblesCCC 1505
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1505 “Moved by so much suffering Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but he makes their miseries his…”
- Isaias 53:6 in modern BiblesCCC 1505
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1505 “Moved by so much suffering Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but he makes their miseries his…”
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 601 “The Scriptures had foretold this divine plan of salvation through the putting to death of "the righteous one, my Servant" as a…”
- CCC 608 “After agreeing to baptize him along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the "Lamb…”
“For the passover was Christ, who was afterwards sacrificed, as also Isaiah said, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“When He speaks by Isaiah, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before the shearer,”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter CXIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… the eunuch of the Ethiopians' queen reading these words which had been written: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb is dumb before the shearer, so He opened not His mouth: in His humiliation His judgment was taken away;”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 601 “The Scriptures had foretold this divine plan of salvation through the putting to death of "the righteous one, my Servant" as a…”
- CCC 627 “Christ's death was a real death in that it put an end to his earthly human existence. But because of the union…”
“For God saith, "The stroke of his flesh is from them;”
Quoted in The Letter of Barnabas, Unknown author (early 2nd century), Chapter V. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“Therefore He shall inherit many, and He shall divide the spoil of the strong; because His soul was delivered to death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sins of many, and He was delivered up for their transgressions.”
Quoted in First Apology, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155), Chapter LI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“for His life is taken from the earth: for the transgressions of my people was He led to death.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XLIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
- Isaias 53:9 in modern Bibles
Read the Fathers
“… out My hands unto a people disobedient, and gainsaying, that walk in a way which is not good.' And that He would rise again, Isaiah himself said: His burial has been taken away from the midst, and I will give the rich for His death.”
Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XCVII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 440 “Jesus accepted Peter's profession of faith, which acknowledged him to be the Messiah, by announcing the imminent Passion of the Son of…”
- CCC 579 “This principle of integral observance of the Law not only in letter but in spirit was dear to the Pharisees. By giving…”
- CCC 601 “The Scriptures had foretold this divine plan of salvation through the putting to death of "the righteous one, my Servant" as a…”
- CCC 615 “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous." By his…”
- CCC 1502 “The man of the Old Testament lives his sickness in the presence of God. It is before God that he laments his…”
- CCC 64 “Through the prophets, God forms his people in the hope of salvation, in the expectation of a new and everlasting Covenant intended…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 440 “Jesus accepted Peter's profession of faith, which acknowledged him to be the Messiah, by announcing the imminent Passion of the Son of…”
- 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 608 “After agreeing to baptize him along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the "Lamb…”
- CCC 615 “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous." By his…”
A modern English Catholic translation will be added once its publisher grants permission.