New International Version Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. New Living Translation Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! English Standard Version Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. Berean Standard Bible Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. Berean Literal Bible Surely, our sicknesses He has lifted, and our sorrows, He has borne them; and we considered Him stricken—struck by God and afflicted. King James Bible Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. New King James Version Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. New American Standard Bible However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, And our pains that He carried; Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted, Struck down by God, and humiliated. NASB 1995 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. NASB 1977 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. Legacy Standard Bible Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. Amplified Bible But [in fact] He has borne our griefs, And He has carried our sorrows and pains; Yet we [ignorantly] assumed that He was stricken, Struck down by God and degraded and humiliated [by Him]. Berean Annotated Bible Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows [This One bears our sins and is pained for us]; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God {Elohim}, and afflicted. Christian Standard Bible Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. Holman Christian Standard Bible Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. American Standard Version Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Contemporary English Version He suffered and endured great pain for us, but we thought his suffering was punishment from God. English Revised Version Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. GOD'S WORD® Translation He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him. Good News Translation "But he endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should have borne. All the while we thought that his suffering was punishment sent by God. International Standard Version "Surely he has borne our sufferings and carried our sorrows; yet we considered him stricken, and struck down by God, and afflicted. NET Bible But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done. New Heart English Bible Surely he bore our diseases, and took our pains; yet we considered him stricken, and struck down by God, and afflicted. Webster's Bible Translation Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSurely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. World English Bible Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionSurely He has borne our sicknesses, "" And our pains—He has carried them, "" And we have esteemed Him [as] plagued, struck of God, and afflicted. Berean Literal Bible Surely, our sicknesses He has lifted, and our sorrows, He has borne them; and we considered Him stricken—struck by God and afflicted. Young's Literal Translation Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains -- he hath carried them, And we -- we have esteemed him plagued, Smitten of God, and afflicted. Smith's Literal Translation Surely he lifted up our afflictions, and our griefs he carried them: and we reckoned him to be smitten, struck of God, and afflicted. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleSurely 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. Catholic Public Domain Version Truly, he has taken away our weaknesses, and he himself has carried our sorrows. And we thought of him as if he were a leper, or as if he had been struck by God and humiliated. New American Bible Yet it was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he endured. We thought of him as stricken, struck down by God and afflicted, New Revised Standard Version Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSurely he has borne our sorrows and carried our griefs; but we considered him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Truly he has endured our sufferings and carried our sorrows, and we considered him to be beaten and punished by God and afflicted OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; Whereas we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. Brenton Septuagint Translation He bears our sins, and is pained for us: yet we accounted him to be in trouble, and in suffering, and in affliction. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Suffering Servant…3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. 5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.… Cross References Surely He took up our infirmities Matthew 8:16-17 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. / This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” Psalm 103:3 He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, 1 Peter 2:24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.” and carried our sorrows; Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. John 11:33-35 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. / “Where have you put him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered. / Jesus wept. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. / Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. / For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” yet we considered Him stricken, Matthew 27:39-44 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads / and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” / In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, … Mark 15:29-32 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, / come down from the cross and save Yourself!” / In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! … Luke 23:35-37 The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” / The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. / “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!” struck down by God, Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? and afflicted. Hebrews 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered. Hebrews 2:9-10 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. / In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for God, for whom and through whom all things exist, to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit, Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” Treasury of Scripture Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. he hath Isaiah 53:5,6,11,12 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed… Matthew 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: yet Matthew 26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. John 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. Jump to Previous Afflicted Bear Bore Borne Carried Considered Diseased Diseases Esteem Esteemed God's Griefs Infirmities Ourselves Pain Pains Plagued Punishment Regard Seemed Sickness Smitten Sorrows Stricken Struck Suffering Surely WhereasJump to Next Afflicted Bear Bore Borne Carried Considered Diseased Diseases Esteem Esteemed God's Griefs Infirmities Ourselves Pain Pains Plagued Punishment Regard Seemed Sickness Smitten Sorrows Stricken Struck Suffering Surely WhereasIsaiah 53 1. The prophet, complaining of incredulity, excuses the scandal of the cross4. By the benefit of his passion 10. And the good success thereof Surely He took up our infirmities The Servant willingly bore the full burden of human weakness, sickness, and the ruin brought by sin. Matthew applies these words to Jesus’ healing ministry, showing that His miracles revealed both His compassion and His authority to undo the effects of the fall (Matthew 8:16–17). His bearing of human frailty reached its fullest meaning at the cross, where He gave Himself for sinners. Mat 8:16-17 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed… and carried our sorrows; He entered deeply into the grief, pain, and alienation of those He came to save. Jesus wept at Lazarus’s tomb, touched the unclean, received the brokenhearted, and called the weary to find rest in Him (John 11:35; Matthew 11:28–30). The Man of Sorrows did not remain distant from suffering but carried it in obedience to the Father and love for His people. Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize… yet we considered Him stricken, Those who saw the Servant’s suffering assumed that He was receiving the punishment He deserved. Such judgment reflected the common belief that severe affliction proved divine rejection. At the cross, religious leaders and passersby mocked Jesus as one abandoned by God, failing to recognize that He was bearing judgment for others (Matthew 27:39–43). Mat 27:39-44 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him,… struck down by God, The Servant’s death occurred under God’s sovereign purpose, yet not because of any sin in Him. Jesus was delivered up according to God’s determined plan while remaining the innocent and righteous Son (Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 2:22–24). What appeared to be God’s curse upon Him was the holy judgment He bore in the place of the guilty. Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law… and afflicted. The Servant endured humiliation, rejection, violence, and death without turning from His mission. His affliction fulfilled God’s redemptive purpose and opened the way for forgiveness, peace, and healing for all who trust in Him. Heb 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience… Persons / Places / Events 1. The Suffering ServantThis is a prophetic reference to Jesus Christ, who is seen as the fulfillment of the prophecy in the New Testament. He is the one who bears the infirmities and sorrows of humanity. 2. Isaiah The prophet who authored the book of Isaiah. He lived in the 8th century BC and is known for his prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. 3. Israel The nation to whom Isaiah originally prophesied. They were in a period of turmoil and needed hope for redemption and restoration. 4. God The divine being who orchestrates the plan of salvation through the Suffering Servant. He is the one who allows the Servant to be "stricken" for a greater purpose. 5. The Cross While not directly mentioned in this verse, the event of the crucifixion is the ultimate fulfillment of the Suffering Servant's role, where Jesus took on the sins and sorrows of the world. Teaching Points Understanding the Suffering ServantRecognize that Isaiah 53:4 is a prophecy about Jesus Christ, who took on human suffering and sin. This understanding deepens our appreciation for His sacrifice. Bearing Our Burdens Reflect on the fact that Jesus not only bore our sins but also our sorrows and infirmities. This should encourage us to bring our burdens to Him in prayer. Perception vs. Reality The verse highlights a common misunderstanding—people saw Jesus as stricken by God, yet He was fulfilling God's redemptive plan. This teaches us to seek God's perspective rather than relying on human judgment. The Role of Suffering Consider how suffering can be part of God's plan for redemption and growth. Jesus' suffering was purposeful, and our trials can also serve a greater purpose in God's plan. Living in Gratitude As recipients of Jesus' sacrificial love, we are called to live lives of gratitude, serving others and sharing the message of His redemptive work. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Isaiah 53:4?2. How does Isaiah 53:4 foreshadow Christ's role in bearing our sufferings? 3. What does "He has borne our griefs" reveal about Jesus' compassion for us? 4. How can we apply the understanding of "carried our sorrows" in daily life? 5. Connect Isaiah 53:4 with Matthew 8:17. How does Jesus fulfill this prophecy? 6. How should recognizing Jesus' sacrifice in Isaiah 53:4 influence our response to suffering? 7. How does Isaiah 53:4 foreshadow the suffering of Jesus Christ? 8. Why is Isaiah 53:4 significant in Christian theology? 9. What historical evidence supports the prophecy in Isaiah 53:4? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 53? What Does Isaiah 53:4 Mean Surely He took up our infirmities“Surely He took up our infirmities” points to the Servant’s personal assumption of our weaknesses. • Jesus identified with frail humanity—healing the sick, touching lepers, dining with sinners (Matthew 4:23-24; Luke 5:12-13). • Matthew 8:16-17 quotes this very line to show that every healing in Christ’s earthly ministry previewed His ultimate work on the cross. • 1 Peter 2:24 reminds us He “bore our sins in His body on the tree,” confirming that the infirmities are both physical and spiritual. • Isaiah promises complete restoration—body, soul, and spirit—fulfilled finally in Revelation 21:4 where sickness and death disappear forever. and carried our sorrows The Servant lifts the crushing weight of grief and pain. • “Carried” pictures a willing burden-bearer (Galatians 6:2 echoes the call to imitate Him). • Psalm 103:3 links forgiveness of sin with healing of disease, showing God’s concern for the whole person. • Hebrews 4:15 reassures believers that Christ, who “was tempted in every way,” feels every ache and heartache we experience. • In Gethsemane, Jesus literally groaned under sorrow (Matthew 26:37-38), foreshadowing the deeper grief borne at Calvary. yet we considered Him stricken Human perception misread the Servant’s suffering. • Many in Israel concluded His pain proved He was a sinner under judgment (John 9:2 gives a snapshot of this theology of retribution). • At the cross, “the people stood watching…sneering” (Luke 23:35), thinking God had abandoned Him. • John 1:10-11 laments that the world missed its own Messiah, illustrating the tragedy Isaiah foretold. • Even today, some dismiss Christ as merely a martyr, repeating the ancient miscalculation. struck down by God While people misjudged, God’s perspective reveals intentional substitution. • Acts 2:23 proclaims Jesus was “handed over by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge,” not by accident. • Romans 8:32 underscores divine initiative: “He who did not spare His own Son…” • 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares the purpose—“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.” • The Passover lamb (Exodus 12) and Day of Atonement scapegoat (Leviticus 16) foreshadow this God-directed striking for our redemption. and afflicted The Servant willingly submitted to suffering. • Isaiah 52:14 describes His appearance marred “beyond human likeness,” revealing the depth of affliction. • Philippians 2:8 says He “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross.” • Hebrews 12:2 notes He endured the cross “for the joy set before Him,” showing voluntary endurance, not defeat. • His silence before accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12-14) demonstrates meek acceptance of the Father’s will. summary Isaiah 53:4 unveils a Messiah who shoulders every facet of human brokenness—bodily sickness, inner grief, and the guilt of sin. Though spectators misread His suffering as divine rejection, Scripture reveals it was divine provision. God struck His sinless Servant so that our infirmities and sorrows might be lifted forever. Trusting this Substitute brings forgiveness, healing, and hope, anchoring believers in the assurance that the One who carried the cross still carries us today. (4) Surely he hath borne our griefs . . .—The words are spoken as by those who had before despised the Servant of Jehovah, and have learnt the secret of His humiliation. “Grief” and “sorrow,” as before, imply “disease” and “pain,” and St. Matthew’s application of the text (Matthew 8:17) is therefore quite legitimate. The words “stricken, smitten of God,” are used elsewhere specially of leprosy and other terrible sicknesses (Genesis 12:17; Leviticus 13:3; Leviticus 13:9; Numbers 14:12; 1Samuel 6:9...Verse 4. - Surely he hath borne our griefs; or, surely they were our griefs which he bore. The pronouns are emphatic. Having set forth at length the fact of the Servant's humiliation (vers. 2, 3), the prophet hastens to declare the reason of it. Twelve times over within the space of nine verses he asserts. with the most emphatic reiteration, that all the Servant's sufferings were vicarious, borne for him, to save him from the consequences of his sins, to enable him to escape punishment. The doctrine thus taught in the Old Testament is set forth! with equal distinctness in the New (Matthew 20:28; John 11:50-52; Romans 3:25; Romans 5:6-8; Romans 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 2:24, etc.), and forms the hope, the trust, and the consolation of Christians. and carried our sorrows. The application which St. Matthew makes of this passage to our Lord's miracles of healing (Matthew 8:17) is certainly not the primary sense of the words, but may be regarded as a secondary application of them. Christ's sufferings were the remedy for all the ills that flesh is heir to. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God. They who saw Christ suffer, instead of understanding that he was bearing the sins of others in a mediatorial capacity, imagined that he was suffering at God's hands for his own sins. Hence they scoffed at him and reviled him, even in his greatest agonies (Matthew 27:39-44). To one only, and him not one of God's people, was it given to see the contrary, and to declare aloud, at the moment of the death, "Certainly this was a righteous Man" (Luke 23:47).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Surelyאָכֵ֤ן (’ā·ḵên) Adverb Strong's 403: Firmly, surely, but He ה֣וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are took on נָשָׂ֔א (nā·śā) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take our infirmities חֳלָיֵ֙נוּ֙ (ḥo·lā·yê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 2483: Malady, anxiety, calamity and carried סְבָלָ֑ם (sə·ḇā·lām) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural Strong's 5445: To carry, be burdensome, to be gravid our sorrows; וּמַכְאֹבֵ֖ינוּ (ū·maḵ·’ō·ḇê·nū) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 4341: Anguish, affliction yet we וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ (wa·’ă·naḥ·nū) Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common plural Strong's 587: We considered Him חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ (ḥă·šaḇ·nu·hū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural | third person masculine singular Strong's 2803: To think, account stricken נָג֛וּעַ (nā·ḡū·a‘) Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike by God, אֱלֹהִ֖ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative struck down מֻכֵּ֥ה (muk·kêh) Verb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singular construct Strong's 5221: To strike and afflicted. וּמְעֻנֶּֽה׃ (ū·mə·‘un·neh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 6031: To be bowed down or afflicted Additonal Resources Isaiah 53:4 Blue Letter BibleIsaiah 53:4 Bible Gateway Isaiah 53:4 Bible.com Isaiah 53:4 NIV |
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