Isaiah 53:3
What does Isaiah 53:3 mean?
A plain-English look at Isaiah 53:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Isaiah 53:3 means
The Servant's experience among humanity is characterized by profound rejection and suffering. He was scorned and cast aside by people, intimately familiar with sorrow and grief in its deepest forms. So profound was His humiliation that onlookers would turn their faces away, not out of reverence, but out of contempt or discomfort. This verse reiterates the theme of His low estimation in the eyes of humanity, emphasizing the depth of His societal and emotional anguish and marking Him as one utterly without honor or regard.
Isaiah 53:3 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 · 2000He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.
KJV
King James Version · 1611He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Men made sport of him, turning away from him; he was a man of sorrows, marked by disease; and like one from whom men's faces are turned away, he was looked down on, and we put no value on him.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862He is despised, and left of men, A man of pains, and acquainted with sickness, And as one hiding the face from us, He is despised, and we esteemed him not.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Despised, 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.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890He is despised and left alone of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and like one from whom [men] hide their faces; — despised, and we esteemed him not.
Context
Building on the previous verse's description of the Servant's unremarkable appearance, this verse details the direct consequence: His profound rejection and suffering at the hands of humanity. It transitions from outward appearance to lived experience, illustrating the contempt He faced. This sets human rejection in stark contrast to the divine purpose of His suffering, which the subsequent verses will reveal, making the later explanation of His vicarious atonement all the more impactful.
v.2For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
v.3This passage
v.4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 50:6
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
- Luke 19:41
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,
- Hebrews 2:15
and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
- Hebrews 12:2
looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Isaiah 49:7
Thus saith Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Jehovah that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.
- Matthew 26:67
Then did they spit in his face and buffet him: and some smote him with the palms of their hands,
Sermon ideas from Isaiah 53:3
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What Isaiah 53:3 teaches us about substitutionary atonement
What Isaiah 53:3 teaches us about messianic prophecy
What Isaiah 53:3 teaches us about the lamb of god
What Isaiah 53:3 teaches us about justification
Related questions readers ask
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Want to dig deeper? Explore Isaiah 53
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Isaiah 53.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Atonement
Atonement, a central doctrine of Christianity, describes how humanity is reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
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Bible Verses About Intercession
Intercession is prayer offered on behalf of another, a selfless act of love and faith that demonstrates our care for others.
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Bible Verses About Propitiation
Propitiation refers to the appeasement of God's wrath through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, making reconciliation possible.
What the Bible says about…
Answer
What does the Bible say about healing?
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Answer
What does the Bible say about suffering?
Our light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory.
Answer
What does the Bible say about anxiety?
Cast your worries on him, because he cares for you.
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