Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
Parallel translations
- WEB The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
- KJV And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.
- NKJV The eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen.
- NASB Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded, And the ears of those who hear will listen.
- NLT Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth, and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In that day the eyes of seers will not be dim and the ears of hearers will truly listen. It matters because the coming kingdom heals spiritual blindness and deafness.
Overview
Isaiah promises a reversal of the spiritual dullness condemned earlier: clear sight and attentive hearing. The renewal touches perception itself, enabling people to grasp God's truth. This anticipates the work of Christ, who opens blind eyes and deaf ears, and the Spirit who grants understanding to God's people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Isa 29:18On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
- Isa 35:5–6Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
- Acts 26:18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
- 2 Cor 4:6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- 1 Jn 2:20–21You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
- Mark 7:37The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
- Isa 29:24Then the wayward in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction.”
- Isa 54:13Then all your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their prosperity.
- Mark 8:22–25When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
- Isa 60:1–2Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
- Isa 30:26The light of the moon will be as bright as the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days—on the day that the LORD binds up the brokenness of His people and heals the wounds He has inflicted.
- Matt 13:11He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
- Jer 31:34No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 32:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.