Strengthen the exhausted, and make the feeble strong.
Parallel translations
- WEB Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
- KJV Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
- BSB Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!
- NKJV Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.
- NLT With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees.
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
God's people are called to strengthen the weak and encourage the discouraged in light of his coming salvation.
Overview
Isaiah exhorts the community to support those whose hands hang limp and knees are feeble, a call to renewed hope. The New Testament applies these words to Christian perseverance under hardship (Heb. 12:12). The encouragement rests on the certainty of God's promised deliverance, which sustains the faint-hearted.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Heb 12:12Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
- Luke 22:32but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”
- Job 4:3–4Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
- Isa 57:14–16He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”
- Acts 18:23Having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
- Luke 22:43An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.
- Job 16:5but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
- Judg 7:11You will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened to go down into the camp.” Then went he down with Purah his servant to the outermost part of the armed men who were in the camp.
- Isa 52:1–2Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.
- Isa 40:1–2“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 35:3 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.