Devine Scripture

Isaiah 53:11

What does Isaiah 53:11 mean?

A plain-English look at Isaiah 53:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Isaiah 53:11 means

This verse continues to articulate the triumph that follows the Servant's travail, emphasizing the satisfaction He will experience from the fruit of His suffering. He will look upon the outcome of His soul's agony and find complete contentment. Through His intimate knowledge, which encompasses His perfect obedience and atoning work, this righteous Servant will justify many. This means He will declare them righteous and bring them into a right relationship with God, confirming that His purpose was to take away their iniquities and cleanse them.

Isaiah 53:11 in context

Isaiah 53 — The Suffering Servant

Seven hundred years before Calvary, Isaiah describes a servant despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, who is wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace is upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. He is led as a lamb to the slaughter and yet by his knowledge shall justify many. No other Old Testament passage so clearly anticipates the cross. The New Testament writers quote it again and again as the master-key to the meaning of Christ's death.

  • Substitutionary atonement
  • Messianic prophecy
  • The Lamb of God
  • Justification

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

... made clear his righteousness before men ... had taken their sins on himself.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

Of the labour of his soul he seeth--he is satisfied, Through his knowledge give righteousness Doth the righteous one, My servant, to many, And their iniquities he doth bear.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

He shall see of [the fruit of] the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant instruct many in righteousness; and he shall bear their iniquities.

Context

Following the revelation of God's pleasure in the Servant's suffering and the promise of future seed and prolonged days, this verse elaborates on the triumphant outcome for the Servant and for humanity. It describes the deep satisfaction the Servant will find in the results of His sacrifice and specifically details how He will bring about justification for many. This further explains the blessings derived from His atoning work, leading into the final declaration of His reward and intercession.

v.10Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.

v.11This passage

v.12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 53:4

    Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

  • Luke 22:44

    And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.

  • John 12:27

    Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:11

    And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

  • Romans 5:9

    Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him.

  • 1 John 2:1

    My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Sermon ideas from Isaiah 53:11

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What Isaiah 53:11 teaches us about substitutionary atonement

  • What Isaiah 53:11 teaches us about messianic prophecy

  • What Isaiah 53:11 teaches us about the lamb of god

  • What Isaiah 53:11 teaches us about justification

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