Isaiah 53 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 53:6, 53:8, 53:9, 53:10, 53:11, 53:12
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Chapter 53
The suffering servant and his vindication
Verse 53:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:1 Who believed our report, and to whom was YHWH's arm revealed?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:1 Lord, who believed our report, and to whom was the Lord's arm revealed?
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek adds the opening address Lord. Rashi hears the nations marveling at Israel's vindication [RASHI53]. John twelve thirty-eight quotes both Greek questions about unbelief toward Jesus; Romans ten sixteen quotes the first [NA28JHN12] [NA28ROM10]. Cyril, Lecture thirteen thirteen, identifies the suffering arm with God's Son [CYRILCAT13].
Verse 53:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:2 Before this, he grew like a shoot, like a root from dry ground. He had no form or splendor; we saw him without an appearance to admire—how could we desire him?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:2 We proclaimed before Him, like a little child, like a root in thirsty ground. He has no form or glory; we saw him, and he had no form or beauty.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew growth becomes Greek our proclamation, and a shoot becomes a child. Hebrew before this and the final question follow Rashi; before Him and no appearance that we should desire him are alternatives [RASHI53]. Greek does not explicitly state the object of proclaimed; its comparisons remain compressed.
Verse 53:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:3 He was despised and abandoned by people, a man of pains, familiar with sickness, like one hiding his face from us. He was despised, and we held him of no account.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:3 Instead, his appearance was dishonored, falling short of all people: a man in affliction who knew how to bear weakness. Because his face was turned away, he was dishonored and not esteemed.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek focuses on deficient appearance and learned endurance, where Hebrew describes abandonment and familiarity with illness. Hebrew hiding his face from us follows Rashi; people hiding their faces from him is another construction [RASHI53]. Greek the face being turned away leaves its agent unstated.
Verse 53:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:4 But he carried our sicknesses and bore our pains; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:4 This man carries our sins and suffers pain for us; yet we considered him to be in distress, under a blow, and mistreated.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek sins replaces sicknesses and suffering for us replaces bearing our pains. Greek has no explicit God as the supposed striker. Both contrast his bearing something belonging to us with our mistaken assessment. Matthew eight seventeen cites the taking of weaknesses and carrying of diseases in Jesus’ healing ministry; this differs from the declared Greek Isaiah’s sins wording [NA28MAT8].
Verse 53:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:5 He was pained because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities. The discipline of our peace was upon him, and through his wound healing came to us.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:5 But he was wounded because of our lawless acts and has been weakened because of our sins. The discipline of our peace was upon him; by his bruise we were healed.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both connect his suffering with our wrongdoing and our healing. Hebrew pained follows Radak, who derives the form from the pangs of a woman in labor [RADAK53]; pierced or wounded, Ibn Ezra's derivation from a slain man, is another reading [IBNEZRA53]. Greek weakening replaces crushing. First Peter two twenty-four applies the healing-by-his-bruise language to Christ's sin-bearing on the tree [NA281PE2].
Verse 53:6 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:6 We all strayed like sheep, each turned to his own way; and YHWH accepted his intercession concerning the iniquity of us all.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:6 We all wandered like sheep; each person wandered in his own way. And the Lord handed him over to our sins.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew accepted intercession follows Rashi's supplication reading; made our iniquity meet upon him is the alternative construction [RASHI53]. Greek explicitly hands him over to sins. Under the chosen Hebrew interpretation, divine acceptance of mediation contrasts with surrender to wrongdoing. First Peter two twenty-five reuses the wandering-sheep image [NA281PE2].
Verse 53:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:7 He was oppressed and verbally afflicted, yet did not open his mouth. Like a sheep led to slaughter, like a ewe silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:7 Because he had been mistreated, he does not open his mouth. He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb silent before the one shearing him, so he does not open his mouth.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both repeat the silent mouth and pair slaughter with shearing. Hebrew verbal affliction follows Rashi's lexical explanation [RASHI53]. Greek makes mistreatment causal and replaces a ewe with a lamb. Acts eight thirty-two–thirty-five quotes the sheep passage, and Philip begins from it to proclaim Jesus [NA28ACT8].
Biblical connection — Explicit early Christian interpretation: Acts 8:32-35. Philip begins with the suffering-servant passage being read by the Ethiopian official and proclaims the good news of Jesus.
Reception — Christological interpretation: The letter quotes the suffering servant passage extensively and presents Christ as the pattern of humility. 1 Clement (traditionally attributed to St. Clement of Rome) · 1 Clement 16.
Verse 53:8 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:8 He was taken out of imprisonment and judgment; who can recount his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living; because of my people's transgression, a plague came upon them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:8 In humiliation his judgment was taken away. Who will recount his generation? For his life is taken from the earth; because of my people's lawless acts he was led to death.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew removal from confinement follows Rashi; removal by oppressive judgment is another construction. Hebrew plague comes upon them, retaining the plural [RASHI53]. Greek explicitly removes his life and leads him to death, changing the outcome and referent. Acts eight thirty-three quotes the Greek through removal of his life [NA28ACT8].
Verse 53:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:9 He gave his grave over to the wicked, and to a rich man in his deaths, because he had done no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:9 And I will give the wicked in exchange for his burial, and the rich in exchange for his death, because he did no lawlessness and no deceit was found in his mouth.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew surrendering burial follows Rashi; assigning a grave with the wicked is another reading. Hebrew deaths is plural [RASHI53]. Greek the divine speaker gives wicked and rich people in exchange for him. First Peter two twenty-two and Cyril, Lecture thirteen three, apply the innocence clause to Christ [NA281PE2] [CYRILCAT13]. Cyril, Catechetical Lecture thirteen thirty-four, applies the Greek exchange of wicked and rich at the burial to Christ’s Passion and burial [CYRILCAT13].
Verse 53:10 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:10 YHWH desired to crush him and made him sick. If his life offers itself as reparation, he will see offspring and prolong his days, and YHWH's purpose will prosper in his hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:10 And the Lord wishes to cleanse him from his wound. If you give an offering for sin, your life will see long-lived offspring. And the Lord wishes to take him away
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew crushing and sickness become Greek cleansing from the wound. Hebrew his life offering itself follows Rashi; if you make his life a guilt offering is another construction [RASHI53]. Greek addresses plural you and your life, and gives longevity to offspring. Its final clause continues in eleven.
Verse 53:11 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:11 From his life's toil he will see and be satisfied. By his knowledge My servant will vindicate the just for many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:11 from his life's distress, to show him light and form him with understanding, to justify a righteous man who serves many well; and he himself will bear their sins.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew servant vindicating the just follows Rashi; My righteous servant justifying many is another syntax [RASHI53]. Greek God justifies the righteous servant and additionally shows him light and forms him. This reverses the justifying roles. Light is present only in this declared Greek base; no unread manuscript evidence is claimed.
Verse 53:12 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
53:12 Therefore I will allot him a share in public, and he will divide spoil with the strong, because he poured out his life to death and was counted with transgressors. He bore the sin of many and intercedes for transgressors.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
53:12 Therefore he will inherit many and divide the spoils of the strong, because his life was handed over to death and he was counted among the lawless. He himself bore the sins of many and was handed over because of their sins.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew public allotment follows Rashi; a share among many is another reading [RASHI53]. Greek inheriting many and taking the strong's spoils changes the allocation. Hebrew intercession becomes a second handing-over, removing the final mediating action. Luke twenty-two thirty-seven applies counted with the lawless to Jesus [NA28LUK22].