Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
Parallel translations
- WEB Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
- KJV Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
- NKJV Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
- NASB Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
- NLT Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
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
The prophet laments how few believe the message or recognize the LORD's revealed arm. It matters because it confronts the unbelief that surrounds God's saving work in the Servant.
Overview
The 'report' is the astonishing news of the Suffering Servant, and the 'arm of Yahweh' is His saving power now disclosed in unexpected, lowly form. The question expects a sorrowful answer: most do not believe. John (12:38) and Paul (Rom. 10:16) cite this to explain Israel's widespread rejection of Christ, showing that faith comes only as God reveals His arm.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 12:38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
- Rom 10:16–17But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
- 1 Cor 1:18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- John 1:12But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
- Matt 16:17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.
- Matt 11:25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
- 1 Cor 1:24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
- Isa 52:10The 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.
- John 1:7He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.
- Rom 1:16–18I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
- Isa 40:5And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
- Isa 62:8The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by His mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain to your enemies for food, nor will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled.
- Isa 51:9Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?
- Eph 1:18–19I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
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 53:1 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.