Isaiah 63

1 [I ask], “Who is this who is coming from Bozrah [city] in Edom, whose clothes are stained red [from blood]? Who is this who is wearing beautiful robes?” [He replies], “It is I, [Yahweh], declaring that I have defeated [your enemies], and I am able to rescue you!”

Who is this coming from Edom, from the town of Bozrah with clothes stained crimson? Who is this wearing robes of splendor, leaning forward in his great strength as he marches? It is me, the one who always speaks goodness and truth, the one who has the power to save.

2 [I ask him], “What are those red spots on your clothes? It appears that [SIM] you have been treading/tramping on grapes [to make wine].”

Why are your clothes red, like you've been treading grapes in a winepress?

3 [He replies], “I have been treading on [my enemies, not] on grapes. I did it myself; no one helped me. I punished them because I was very angry with them, and my clothes became stained with their blood.

I've been treading the winepress by myself; from the nations around no one came to help me. So in my anger I trod them down as if they were grapes, in my fury I trampled them. It's their blood that has stained my clothes.

4 I did that because it was time for me [SYN] to get revenge; it was time to rescue [my people from those who had oppressed them].

For I decided this was the day of my vengeance; the year of my redemption has come.

5 I searched for someone who would enable me to help [my people], but I was amazed/shocked that there was no one to help me. So I defeated [their enemies] with my own power/strength [MTY]; I was able [PRS] to do that because of my being very angry.

I looked around, but no one came to help; I was shocked that there was no one to assist me. So I saved them through my own strength alone, and my own anger kept me going.

6 Because I was extremely angry, I punished the nations; I caused them [to stagger like] [MET] drunk men, and I caused their blood to pour out on the ground.”

I trampled down the nations in my anger; in my fury I made them drunk, and spilled their blood upon the ground.

7 I will tell about Yahweh faithfully loving his people, and I will praise him for all that he has done. Yahweh has done good things for [us] people [MTY] of Israel; he has acted mercifully toward us, and he has steadfastly and faithfully loved us.

I want to tell everyone about the Lord's trustworthy love. I will praise the Lord for everything he's done for us—all the good things he has done for the descendants of Israel because of his kindness and his infinite trustworthy love.

8 Yahweh said, “These are my people; they will not deceive me;” so he rescued us.

He said, “Aren't they my people, children who wouldn't lie to me?” So he became their Savior.

9 When we had many troubles, he was sad [also]. He sent his angel to rescue us. Because he loved us and was merciful to us, he saved us; [it was as though] he picked our ancestors up and carried them all those years [during which they were oppressed in Egypt].

He suffered with them in all their suffering, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and kindness he redeemed them. He picked them up and carried them all throughout those years long ago.

10 But we rebelled against him, and we caused his Holy Spirit to be sad. So he became [like] [MET] an enemy who fought against us.

But they rebelled against him, and caused his Holy Spirit grief, so to them he became like an enemy and he fought against them.

11 Then we thought about [what happened] long ago, during the time when Moses led [our ancestors out of Egypt]. We cried out, “Where is the one who brought our ancestors through the [Red] Sea while Moses led them? Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit to be among our ancestors?

Then they thought back to the days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt. They shouted out, “Where is the one who took Israel through the sea, along with the shepherds of his flock? Where is the one who placed his Holy Spirit among his people?

12 Where is the one who showed his glorious power [MTY], and caused the water to separate when Moses lifted his arm above it, with the result that he will be honored/praised forever?

Where is the one who lifted Moses' right hand, and who used his amazing power to divided the sea in front of them, giving him such a wonderful, enduring reputation?

13 Where is the one who led our ancestors while they walked through the sea bed? They were like [SIM] horses that were racing along and never stumbled.

Where is the one who led them through the depths of the sea?” They were like a horse running through the desert, they didn't stumble.

14 They were like [SIM] cattle that walk down into a valley [to rest], and the Spirit of Yahweh enabled them to go to a place where they could rest. Yahweh, you led your people, and you caused yourself [MTY] to (get a wonderful reputation/be greatly honored).”

Like cattle descending into a valley, the Lord's Spirit gave them rest. This is how you led your people, earning a glorious reputation for yourself.

15 [Yahweh], look down from heaven; look down on us from your holy and glorious home. You were [RHQ] previously very concerned [about us], and you acted powerfully [to help us]. But it seems that you do not act mercifully and zealously for us any more.

Lord, look down on us from heaven! Watch from your high home, in your holiness and glory! Where is your enthusiasm and power? You're not showing me your feelings of sympathy and kindness!

16 You are our father. Abraham does not know [what is happening to] us, and Jacob is not concerned about us, [either], but Yahweh, you are our father; you rescued us long ago.

But you are still our Father, even though Abraham wouldn't know us and Israel wouldn't acknowledge us. You, Lord, are our Father; you have always been called our Redeemer from long ago.

17 Yahweh, why did you cause us to wander away from your road [RHQ]? Why did you cause us to be stubborn, with the result that we no [longer] revere you [RHQ]? Help us like you did previously, because we are the people who serve you and belong to you.

Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways, and make us stubborn so we don't respect you? Come back to us for the sake of your servants, the tribes that belong to you.

18 We, your holy people, possessed your sacred temple for only a short time, [and now] our enemies have destroyed it.

Your Temple belonged to us for a little while, but then our enemies invaded and destroyed it.

19 Now it seems as though we never were ruled by you, as though we were never part of your family [MTY].

We were yours from ancient times, but we've ended up like people you've never ruled, never identified as yours.