But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes that the "chastisement" that brought us peace was upon him. This isn't just that he suffered, but that the specific punishment meant to reconcile us with God was laid directly onto him, highlighting the substitutionary nature of his sacrifice for our peace.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a larger prophecy describing a suffering servant who will bear the burdens of God's people. It follows the servant's rejection and suffering by human hands, leading into the core of his mission: to atone for the sins of others. The verses immediately before speak of his desolate appearance and mistreatment, setting the stage for this explanation of why he endured such pain.
The prophet Isaiah uses powerful imagery to describe the Servant's suffering. What do 'pierced' and 'crushed' reveal about the nature of his sacrifice?
Isaiah 53:5 paints a vivid picture of the Messiah's suffering, not as random misfortune, but as a deliberate act for humanity's sins.
Targeted Suffering
The verse states, 'he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities.'
Vicarious Atonement
Crucially, both actions are 'for our transgressions' and 'for our iniquities.' This emphasizes that the Servant's suffering was not for himself, but a substitutionary atonement. His pain and destruction were the direct consequence of our wrongdoing, bearing the penalty we deserved.
The verse mentions 'the chastisement that brought us peace.' What kind of 'chastisement' leads to peace, and how is it connected to the Servant's suffering?
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The phrase 'the chastisement of our peace' is profound. It reveals that our peace with God comes through the Servant's suffering.
Punishment for Peace
The Servant's Role
This chastisement was 'upon him.' This means the punishment for our sins, which should have fallen on us, was instead laid upon the Messiah. He endured the wrath and justice of God that we might experience peace and favor with Him. It’s a peace not earned, but purchased through His suffering.
The verse concludes with a powerful statement about healing through His wounds. What does this healing encompass?
The final clause, 'and with his wounds we are healed,' extends the benefits of the Servant's suffering beyond peace to encompass a deeper restoration.
Spiritual and Physical Healing
The Cure for Sin's Disease
Through the painful wounds inflicted upon the Servant, we receive healing from the pervasive disease of sin. This healing signifies forgiveness, restoration, and the overcoming of sin's power. It's the restoration of our spiritual health, making us whole and right with God, enabling us to live a life free from the bondage of sin.
Understand the original words
pesha' · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting a failure to observe the law, a violation of a trust, or an act of rebellion against God’s authority. It implies a conscious breach of the covenant relationship.
avon · Hebrew Noun
A moral term referring to twistedness, perversity, or guilt. It signifies an act that deviates from the moral standard established by God, often carrying the idea of associated guilt and the need for punishment.
musar · Hebrew Noun
Discipline, correction, or punishment intended to bring about repentance or restoration. In a substitutionary context, it refers to the penalty suffered by one party to secure the welfare or peace of another.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A state of wholeness, completeness, or reconciliation with God. It encompasses not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of divine well-being and covenantal harmony.
The suffering servant passages, including Isaiah 53:5, were written during the Babylonian exile, a time of national crisis and profound reflection on sin, suffering, and God's redemptive plan. The prophecy of a suffering servant who atones for sin offered a radical hope of peace and healing to a people grappling with the consequences of their transgressions.
c. 740 BC
Prophecy of Isaiah
Isaiah delivers his prophecies in the Kingdom of Judah, likely during a period of Assyrian imperial expansion and internal political shifts.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion
The Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib invades Judah, leading to the siege of Jerusalem. Many Judeans are exiled.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar II deports King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Jerusalem's elite to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon.
c. 540 BC
Second Isaiah
The prophet known as Second Isaiah, living among the exiles in Babylon, writes additional prophecies, including the famous 'Suffering Servant' passages.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, conquers Babylon, paving the way for the return of Jewish exiles.
c. 538 BC— this verse
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues an edict allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
This passage directly quotes Isaiah 53:5, applying the healing from Christ's wounds to spiritual cleansing from sin.
Zechariah 13:6This prophecy speaks of wounds on the hands and side, mirroring the 'pierced' and 'wounded' language of Isaiah 53:5, hinting at a violent death.
Colossians 1:20This New Testament text echoes the theme of 'peace' established through Christ's blood, connecting His suffering to reconciliation with God, as implied by 'the chastisement that brought us peace'.
Galatians 3:13This passage explains that Christ was cursed (a form of chastisement) so that we might be redeemed, paralleling the concept of Christ bearing iniquities for our benefit.
clarkeIsaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
The chastisement of our peace "The chastisement by which our peace is effected" - Twenty-one MSS. and six editions have the word fully and regularly expressed, שלמינו shelomeynu; pacificationum nostrarum, "our pacification;" that by which we are brought into a state of peace and favor with God. Ar. Montan.
pulpitIsaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
Verse 5. - But he was wounded for our transgressions. This verse contains four asseverations of the great truth that all Christ's sufferings were for us, and constituted the atonement for our sins. The form is varied, but the truth is one. Christ was "wounded" or "pierced" (1) by the thorns; (2) by the nails; and (3) by the…
The verse emphasizes that the "chastisement" that brought us peace was upon him. This isn't just that he suffered, but that the specific punishment meant to reconcile us with God was laid directly onto him, highlighting the substitutionary nature of his sacrifice for our peace.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy describing a suffering servant who will bear the burdens of God's people. It follows the servant's rejection and suffering by human hands, leading into the core of his mission: to atone for the sins of others. The verses immediately before speak of his desolate appearance and mistreatment, setting the stage for this explanation of why he endured such pain.
This passage is part of a larger prophecy describing a suffering servant who will bear the burdens of God's people. It follows the servant's rejection and suffering by human hands, leading into the core of his mission: to atone for the sins of others. The verses immediately before speak of his desolate appearance and mistreatment, setting the stage for this explanation of why he endured such pain.
"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." — The verse emphasizes that the "chastisement" that brought us peace was upon him. This isn't just that he suffered, but that the specific punishment meant to reconcile us with God was laid directly…
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Last reviewed October 2026