1 ARST You people who live in the holy city of Jerusalem, wake up! Be strong again! Show that your city is beautiful and glorious; uncircumcised foreigners, those who do not honor Yahweh, will never again enter your city to attack you. BSB BSB: Awake, awake, clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, holy city! For the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer enter you.
2 ARST People of Jerusalem, get up from where you have been sitting in the dust, and sit down properly! You people who have returned from being exiled, take off from your neck the chains that the Babylonians fastened around your necks, BSB BSB: Shake off your dust! Rise up and sit on your throne, O Jerusalem. Remove the chains from your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion.
3 ARST because this is what Yahweh says:“When you were sent as captives to Babylonia, no one paid to make that happen. So now you will be brought back, and no money will be paid to anyone for your release.” BSB BSB: For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”
4 ARST Yahweh our Lord also says this:“Long ago, my people went to Egypt to live there. Later the soldiers of Assyria oppressed them. BSB BSB: For this is what the Lord GOD says: “At first My people went down to Egypt to live, then Assyria oppressed them without cause.
5 ARST But now think about what is happening: My people are being forced to be slaves again, this time by the people of Babylonia. They have taken my people away, but they never declared any just reason for taking them captive. And the rulers of Babylon boast and make fun of them(as I, Yahweh, have said they would do), and the other people groups in the world despise the mention of my name. BSB BSB: And now what have I here? declares the LORD. For My people have been taken without cause; those who rule them taunt, declares the LORD, and My name is blasphemed continually all day long.
6 ARST But after that, my people will love me and honor me; when that happens, they will know that I am the one who said that this would happen. I am the one who speaks, and I say,‘Yes, this is Yahweh who is speaking to you.’ BSB BSB: Therefore My people will know My name; therefore they will know on that day that I am He who speaks. Here I am!”
7 ARST It is a wonderful thing when messengers come from across the mountains and bring good news, the news about God giving us peace and saving us, the news that the God to whom we Israelite people belong is now showing everyone his power as king! BSB BSB: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 ARST The watchmen who are guarding the city will shout and sing joyfully, because while they are watching, they will all see Yahweh returning to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, together they shout for joy. For every eye will see when the LORD returns to Zion.
9 ARST Jerusalem was ruined, but the people who are there now should start to sing joyfully, because Yahweh will encourage his people; he will set his people free and bring them back to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Break forth in joy, sing together, O ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 ARST Yahweh will show all the nations that he is holy and powerful. People in the most remote places on earth will know that he has rescued his people. BSB BSB: The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
11 ARST So leave the places where you were taken to when you were captured, where everything is unacceptable to God. You men who are carrying the items used in the temple of Yahweh, leave there and return to Jerusalem, and purify yourselves in order to be acceptable to worship God. BSB BSB: Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.
12 ARST But it will not be necessary for you to leave suddenly, to flee in panic, because Yahweh will go in front of you; and he will also protect you from being attacked at the rear while you travel. BSB BSB: For you will not leave in a hurry nor flee in haste, for the LORD goes before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.
14 ARST But many people will be appalled when they see what has happened to him. Because he was beaten very badly, his appearance will be changed; people will hardly recognize that he is a human. BSB BSB: Just as many were appalled at Him—His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness—
15 ARST But he will purify the people of many nations by sprinkling them clean; even kings will be silent when they stand in front of him, because they will see someone that no one had told them about before, and they will understand things that they had not heard about before. BSB BSB: so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.