Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” New Living Translation I replied, “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the LORD’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.” English Standard Version But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.” Berean Standard Bible But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.” King James Bible Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. New King James Version Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.’ ” New American Standard Bible But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and futility; Nevertheless, the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My reward is with My God.” NASB 1995 But I said, “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My reward with My God.” NASB 1977 But I said, “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My reward with My God.” Legacy Standard Bible But I said, “I have toiled in vain; I have spent My might for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with Yahweh, And My reward with My God.” Amplified Bible Then I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity (pride, uselessness); However My justice is with the LORD, And My reward is with My God.” Christian Standard Bible But I myself said: I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and futility; yet my vindication is with the LORD, and my reward is with my God. Holman Christian Standard Bible But I myself said: I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and futility; yet my vindication is with the LORD, and my reward is with my God. American Standard Version But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Jehovah, and my recompense with my God. Contemporary English Version I said to myself, "I'm completely worn out; my time has been wasted. But I did it for the LORD God, and he will reward me." English Revised Version But I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my recompence with my God. GOD'S WORD® Translation But I said, "I have worked hard for nothing. I have used my strength, but I didn't accomplish anything. Yet, certainly my case is in the LORD's hands, and my reward is with my God." Good News Translation I said, "I have worked, but how hopeless it is! I have used up my strength, but have accomplished nothing." Yet I can trust the LORD to defend my cause; he will reward me for what I do. International Standard Version "I said: 'I've labored for nothing. I've exhausted my strength on futility and on emptiness.' Yet surely my recompense is with the LORD, and my reward is with my God. Majority Standard Bible But I said, ?I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.? NET Bible But I thought, "I have worked in vain; I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing." But the LORD will vindicate me; my God will reward me. New Heart English Bible But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with the LORD, and my reward with my God." Webster's Bible Translation Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain; yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. World English Bible But I said, “I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength in vain for nothing; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd I said, “I labored in vain, "" I consumed my power for emptiness and vanity, "" But my judgment [is] with YHWH, "" And my wage with my God.” Young's Literal Translation And I said, 'For a vain thing I laboured, For emptiness and vanity my power I consumed, But my judgment is with Jehovah, And my wage with my God. Smith's Literal Translation And I said, I labored in vain, for emptiness; and I finish my strength vainly; surely my judgment is with Jehovah and my work with my God. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd I said: I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength without cause and in vain: therefore my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. Catholic Public Domain Version And I said: “I have labored toward emptiness. I have consumed my strength without purpose and in vain. Therefore, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with my God.” New American Bible Though I thought I had toiled in vain, for nothing and for naught spent my strength, Yet my right is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. New Revised Standard Version But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the LORD, and my reward with my God.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleI have not said to the descendants of Jacob that I have labored in vain, nor that I have spent my strength for nought. Surely my judgment is before the LORD, and my work before my God. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And I have not said to the seed of Yaqob, ‘I have labored for nothing and I have given my power to futility.’ Truly my judgment is before LORD JEHOVAH and my work is before my God” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917But I said: 'I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; Yet surely my right is with the LORD, And my recompense with my God.' Brenton Septuagint Translation Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have given my strength for vanity and for nothing: therefore is my judgement with the Lord, and my labour before my God. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context You are My Servant…3He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.” 4But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.” 5And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength—… Cross References Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. / After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Philippians 2:7-9 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. / And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. / Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, John 1:10-11 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. / He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 1 Peter 2:23 When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. Jeremiah 20:7-9 You have deceived me, O LORD, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. / For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long. / If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail. John 12:27-28 Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. / Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Psalm 22:1-2 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning? / I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Galatians 6:9 Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Hebrews 12:2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. / Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Psalm 73:13-14 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands. / For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. / For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. / So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. Treasury of Scripture Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. I have laboured Isaiah 65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; Ezekiel 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Matthew 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. spent Leviticus 26:20 And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. 2 Corinthians 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. yet Isaiah 53:10-12 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand… Psalm 22:22-31 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee… Luke 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? work. Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Isaiah 62:11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Jump to Previous Cause Due Hand Judgment Justice Labored Naught Nevertheless Nought Profit Purpose Recompense Right Spent Strength Surely Toiled Undergone Vain Vanity Weariness WorkJump to Next Cause Due Hand Judgment Justice Labored Naught Nevertheless Nought Profit Purpose Recompense Right Spent Strength Surely Toiled Undergone Vain Vanity Weariness WorkIsaiah 49 1. Christ being sent to the Jews, complains of them5. He is sent to the Gentiles with gracious promises 13. God's love is perpetual to his church 18. The ample restoration of the church 24. The powerful deliverance out of captivity But I said, “I have labored in vain, This phrase reflects a moment of deep discouragement and perceived failure. The speaker, often understood as the Servant of the Lord, expresses a sense of futility in his mission. This can be seen as a parallel to the experiences of many prophets, including Elijah and Jeremiah, who also felt their efforts were in vain. It highlights the human aspect of the Servant, who experiences emotions and doubts. This sentiment is echoed in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul, who sometimes felt his labor was in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.” Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahThe prophet who is traditionally credited with writing the Book of Isaiah. He served as a prophet in Judah and is known for his messages of both judgment and hope. 2. The Servant In Isaiah 49, the "Servant" is often interpreted as a messianic figure, representing both the nation of Israel and the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. 3. The LORD (Yahweh) The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature, as well as His relationship with Israel. 4. Israel The nation chosen by God to be His people, often depicted as a servant in the Book of Isaiah. 5. The Exile The historical context of Isaiah's prophecies includes the Babylonian exile, a period of great suffering and reflection for the people of Israel. Teaching Points Understanding Futility and FaithfulnessEven when our efforts seem futile, God sees and values our faithfulness. The Hebrew word for "futility" (tohu) can also mean "emptiness" or "chaos," reminding us that God brings order and purpose to our lives. Trusting in God's Vindication Our ultimate vindication and reward come from God, not from human recognition. The Hebrew word for "vindication" (mishpat) implies justice and righteousness, assuring us that God will set things right. The Servant's Example Jesus, as the ultimate Servant, exemplifies perfect obedience and trust in God, even when facing apparent failure. We are called to follow His example in our own lives. Perseverance in Ministry Like the Servant, we may feel that our efforts are in vain, but God calls us to persevere, trusting that He will use our work for His purposes. Eternal Perspective Keeping an eternal perspective helps us to focus on God's promises rather than immediate results. Our reward is with God, and He is faithful to fulfill His promises.(4) Then I said.--The accents of disappointment sound strangely on coming from the lips of the true Servant; but the prophet had learnt by his own experience that this formed part of the discipline of every true servant of God, in proportion to the thoroughness of his service, and therefore it was not strange to him that the ideal Servant should also taste that bitterness. We find in the prophet of Anathoth a partial illustration of the law (Jeremiah 20:14). We find its highest fulfilment in the cries of Gethsemane and Golgotha, The sense of failure is surmounted only, as here, by looking to another judgment than man's, and another reward (better than "work"). (Comp. 1Corinthians 4:3.)Verse 4. - Then I said, I have laboured in vain; rather, and I, for my part, had said. The Servant had momentarily desponded, seeing the small results of all his efforts to reclaim Israel, and had felt a natural human regret at so much labour apparently expended in vain; but his despondency had been soon checked by the thought that God would not suffer any "labour of love" to be wholly in vain, but would give it the recompense which it merited. The verse brings strongly out the true humanity of the "Servant," who feels as men naturally feel, but restrains himself, and does not allow his feelings to carry him away. Compare with this despondency the grief exhibited by our Lord on two occasions (Matthew 23:37; John 11:35), and the depression which extorted from him the memorable words, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" (Matthew 27:46). My work; rather, my reward, or my recompense. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew But Iוַאֲנִ֤י (wa·’ă·nî) Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I said, אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ (’ā·mar·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “I have labored יָגַ֔עְתִּי (yā·ḡa‘·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 3021: To gasp, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil in vain, לְרִ֣יק (lə·rîq) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7385: Emptiness, a worthless thing, in vain I have spent כִלֵּ֑יתִי (ḵil·lê·ṯî) Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent my strength כֹּחִ֣י (kō·ḥî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species) in futility לְתֹ֥הוּ (lə·ṯō·hū) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8414: A desolation, desert, a worthless thing, in vain and vanity; וְהֶ֖בֶל (wə·he·ḇel) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory yet אָכֵן֙ (’ā·ḵên) Adverb Strong's 403: Firmly, surely, but my vindication מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י (miš·pā·ṭî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style is with אֶת־ (’eṯ-) Preposition Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among the LORD, יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel and my reward וּפְעֻלָּתִ֖י (ū·p̄ə·‘ul·lā·ṯî) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 6468: A work, recompense is with אֶת־ (’eṯ-) Preposition Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among my God.” אֱלֹהָֽי׃ (’ĕ·lō·hāy) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative Links Isaiah 49:4 NIVIsaiah 49:4 NLT Isaiah 49:4 ESV Isaiah 49:4 NASB Isaiah 49:4 KJV Isaiah 49:4 BibleApps.com Isaiah 49:4 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 49:4 Chinese Bible Isaiah 49:4 French Bible Isaiah 49:4 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 49:4 But I said I have labored (Isa Isi Is) |
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