Isaiah 52

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Israel Will Be Saved

52 <1> Wake up! Wake up!

Zion,[439] cloth yourself with your strength.

Put on your wonderful clothes.

Holy Jerusalem, stand up.

Those filthy foreigners[440]

will not enter you again.

<2> Jerusalem, get up and shake off the dust!

Daughter Zion,[441] you were a prisoner,

but take the chains off your neck.

<3> The Lord says,

"You were not sold for money.

So I will not use money to set you free."

<4> The Lord my Master says, "First, my people went down to Egypt and became slaves. Then, Assyria made them slaves. <5> Now look what has happened. Another nation has taken my people. That country did not pay to take my people, but they rule over them and laugh at them, and they say bad things about me all the time."

<6> The Lord says, "This happened so that my people will learn about me. My people will know who I am. My people will know my name, and they will know that I Am He[442] is speaking to them."

<7> It is a wonderful thing to see a messenger come over the hills with good news. It is wonderful to hear a messenger announce, "There is peace! We have been saved!" And who says to Zion, "Your God is the king!"

<8> The city guards[443] begin shouting.

They are all rejoicing together,

because every one of them sees the Lord returning to Zion.

<9> Ruins of Jerusalem, be happy again!

Rejoice because the Lord

comforted his people

and set Jerusalem free.

<10> The Lord showed his holy strength

to all the nations.

All the faraway countries saw

how God saved his people.

<11> So leave Babylon!

Leave that place!

Priests, you carry the things

that are used in worship,

so make yourselves pure.

Don't touch anything that is not pure.

<12> You will leave Babylon,

but they will not force you to leave in a hurry.

You will not be forced to run away.

You will walk out.

The Lord will be in front of you.

The God of Israel will be behind you.[444]

God's Suffering Servant

<13> The Lord says, "Look, my servant will succeed in what he has to do, and he will be raised to a position of high honor. <14> It is true that many were shocked when they saw him. He was beaten so badly that he no longer looked like a man. <15> But it is also true that many nations will be amazed at him. Kings will look at him and be unable to speak. They will see what they had never been told. They will understand what they had never heard.[445]"