Old Testament

The Book of Isaiah

The Book of Isaiah is the twenty-seventh of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 66 chapters and 1,292 verses. The Douay-Rheims calls it Isaias.

Start reading: Isaiah 1

About Isaiah · Prophetic oracles

Isaiah is the greatest of the prophetic books, spanning judgment and consolation: threats against a corrupt Jerusalem, comfort for exiles in Babylon, and visions of a restored people and a suffering servant who bears the sins of many. The prophet Isaiah ministered in the eighth century before Christ; the book that bears his name reflects his school and tradition carried through later crises, a formation history scholars continue to discuss. It was written to insist, across every disaster, that the Holy One of Israel governs history. The New Testament quotes it more than any prophet, and the Church has called it the fifth Gospel.

Isaiah in Bless
Testament	Old Testament — book 27 of 46, 27 of 73 in the Bible
Canon	Protocanonical (in every Christian canon)
Chapters	66
Verses	1,292, as Bless numbers them
In the Douay-Rheims	Isaias
Latin	Clementine Vulgate, 65 of 66 chapters
Bp. Challoner	Summaries of all 66 chapters · 79 notes
Catechism	63 paragraphs cite it

Chapter by chapter

All 66 chapters, in brief.

Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.

Isaiah 1
31 verses
The prophet complains of the sins of Juda and Jerusalem, and exhorts them to a sincere conversion.
Isaiah 2
22 verses
All nations shall flow to the church of Christ. The Jews shall be rejected for their sins. Idolatry shall be destroyed.
Isaiah 3
26 verses
The confusion and other evils that shall come upon the Jews for their sins. The pride of their women shall be punished.
Isaiah 4
6 verses
After an extremity of evils that shall fall upon the Jews, a remnant shall be comforted by Christ.
Isaiah 5
30 verses
The reprobation of the Jews is foreshewn under the parable of a vineyard. A woe is pronounced against sinners: the army of God shall send against them.
Isaiah 6
13 verses
A glorious vision, in which the prophet's lips are cleansed: he foretelleth the obstinacy of the Jews.
Isaiah 7
25 verses
The prophet assures king Achaz that the two kings his enemies shall not take Jerusalem. A virgin shall conceive and bear a son.
Isaiah 8
22 verses
The name of a child that is to be born: many evils shall come upon the Jews for their sins.
Isaiah 9
21 verses
What joy shall come after afflictions by the birth and kingdom of Christ; which shall flourish for ever. Judgments upon Israel for their sins.
Isaiah 10
34 verses
Woe to the makers of wicked laws. The Assyrian shall be a rod for punishing Israel: but for their pride they shall be destroyed: and a remnant of Israel saved.
Isaiah 11
16 verses
Of the spiritual kingdom of Christ, to which all nations shall repair.
Isaiah 12
6 verses
A canticle of thanksgiving for the benefits of Christ.
Isaiah 13
22 verses
The desolation of Babylon.
Isaiah 14
32 verses
The restoration of Israel after their captivity. The parable or song insulting over the king of Babylon. A prophecy against the Philistines.
Isaiah 15
9 verses
A prophecy of the desolation of the Moabites.
Isaiah 16
14 verses
The prophet prayeth for Christ's coming. The affliction of the Moabites for their pride.
Isaiah 17
14 verses
Judgments upon Damascus and Samaria. The overthrow of the Assyrians.
Isaiah 18
7 verses
A woe to the Ethiopians, who fed Israel with vain hopes, their future conversion.
Isaiah 19
25 verses
The punishment of Egypt: their call to the church.
Isaiah 20
6 verses
The ignominious captivity of the Egyptians, and the Ethiopians.
Isaiah 21
17 verses
The destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians: a prophecy against the Edomites and the Arabians.
Isaiah 22
25 verses
The prophet laments the devastation of Juda. He foretells the deprivation of Sobna, and the substitution of Eliacim, a figure of Christ.
Isaiah 23
18 verses
The destruction of Tyre. It shall be repaired again after seventy years.
Isaiah 24
23 verses
The judgments of God upon all the sinners of the world. A remnant shall joyfully praise him.
Isaiah 25
12 verses
A canticle of thanksgiving for God's judgments and benefits.
Isaiah 26
21 verses
A canticle of thanks for the deliverance of God's people.
Isaiah 27
13 verses
The punishment of the oppressors of God's people. The Lord's favour to his church.
Isaiah 28
29 verses
The punishment of the Israelites, for their pride, intemperance, and contempt of religion. Christ the cornerstone.
Isaiah 29
24 verses
God's heavy judgments upon Jerusalem, for their obstinacy: with a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles.
Isaiah 30
33 verses
The people are blamed for their confidence in Egypt. God's mercies towards his church. The punishment of sinners.
Isaiah 31
9 verses
The folly of trusting to Egypt, and forgetting God. He will fight for his people against the Assyrians.
Isaiah 32
20 verses
The blessings of the reign of Christ. The desolation of the Jews, and prosperity of the church of Christ.
Isaiah 33
24 verses
God's revenge against the enemies of his church. The happiness of the heavenly Jerusalem.
Isaiah 34
17 verses
The general judgment of the wicked.
Isaiah 35
10 verses
The joyful flourishing of Christ's kingdom: in his church shall be a holy and secure way.
Isaiah 36
22 verses
Sennacherib invades Juda: his blasphemies.
Isaiah 37
38 verses
Ezechias, his mourning and prayer. God's promise of protection. The Assyrian army is destroyed. Sennacherib is slain.
Isaiah 38
22 verses
Ezechias being advertised that he shall die, obtains by prayer a prolongation of his life: in confirmation of which the sun goes back. The canticle of Ezechias.
Isaiah 39
8 verses
Ezechias shews all his treasures to the ambassadors of Babylon: upon which Isaias foretells the Babylonish captivity.
Isaiah 40
31 verses
The prophet comforts the people with the promise of the coming of Christ to forgive their sins. God's almighty power and majesty.
Isaiah 41
29 verses
The reign of the just one: the vanity of idols.
Isaiah 42
25 verses
The office of Christ. The preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. The blindness and reprobation of the Jews.
Isaiah 43
28 verses
God comforts his church, promising to protect her for ever: he expostulates with the Jews for their ingratitude.
Isaiah 44
28 verses
God's favour to his church. The folly of idolatry. The people shall be delivered from captivity.
Isaiah 45
26 verses
A prophecy of Cyrus, as a figure of Christ, the great deliverer of God's people.
Isaiah 46
13 verses
The idols of Babylon shall be destroyed. Salvation is promised through Christ.
Isaiah 47
15 verses
God's judgment upon Babylon.
Isaiah 48
22 verses
He reproaches the Jews for their obstinacy: he will deliver them out of their captivity, for his own name's sake.
Isaiah 49
26 verses
Christ shall bring the Gentiles to salvation. God's love to his church is perpetual.
Isaiah 50
11 verses
The synagogue shall be divorced for her iniquities. Christ for her sake will endure ignominious afflictions.
Isaiah 51
23 verses
An exhortation to trust in Christ. He shall protect the children of his church.
Isaiah 52
15 verses
Under the figure of the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, the church is invited to rejoice for her redemption from sin. Christ's kingdom shall be exalted.
Isaiah 53
12 verses
A prophecy of the passion of Christ.
Isaiah 54
17 verses
The Gentiles, who were barren before, shall multiply in the church of Christ: from which God's mercy shall never depart.
Isaiah 55
13 verses
God promises abundance of spiritual graces to the faithful, that shall believe in Christ out of all nations, and sincerely serve him.
Isaiah 56
12 verses
God invites all to keep his commandments: the Gentiles that keep them shall be the people of God: the Jewish pastors are reproved.
Isaiah 57
21 verses
The infidelity of the Jews: their idolatry. Promises to humble penitents.
Isaiah 58
14 verses
God rejects the hypocritical fasts of the Jews: recommends works of mercy, and sincere godliness.
Isaiah 59
21 verses
The dreadful evil of sin is displayed, as the great obstacle to all good from God: yet he will send a Redeemer, and make an everlasting covenant with his church.
Isaiah 60
22 verses
The light of true faith shall shine forth in the church of Christ, and shall be spread through all nations, and continue for all ages.
Isaiah 61
11 verses
The office of Christ: the mission of the Apostles; the happiness of their converts.
Isaiah 62
12 verses
The prophet will not cease from preaching Christ: to whom all nations shall be converted: and whose church shall continue for ever.
Isaiah 63
19 verses
Christ's victory over his enemies: his mercies to his people: their complaint.
Isaiah 64
12 verses
The prophet prays for the release of his people; and for the remission of their sins.
Isaiah 65
25 verses
The Gentiles shall seek and find Christ, but the Jews will persecute him, and be rejected, only a remnant shall be reserved. The church shall multiply, and abound with graces.
Isaiah 66
24 verses
More of the reprobation of the Jews, and of the call of the Gentiles.

Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries

In the comments

What the saints said.

11 quotations from 9 saints linked to passages of Isaiah in Bless. Each names the work it comes from.

St. John Vianney · on Isaiah 1:18

On this theme

Our sins are grains of sand beside the great mountain of the mercy of God.

Sermon on Sin, c. 1850

St. Augustine of Hippo · on Isaiah 7:9

On this theme

Understand so that you may believe; believe so that you may understand.

Sermon 43, c. 400

St. Anselm · on Isaiah 7:9

On this theme

I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand.

Proslogion, ch. 1, 1078

St. Basil the Great · on Isaiah 30:15

On this theme

A quiet mind is the beginning of purification.

Letter 2 to Gregory, c. 358

St. Francis de Sales · on Isaiah 41:10

On this theme

Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear; rather look to them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them.

Letters of Spiritual Direction, c. 1610

St. Thomas More · on Isaiah 41:10

On this theme

I trust I shall not fear, since the Lord will not let my fear overcome me.

Letter to Margaret Roper from the Tower, 1534

5 more, on the chapter pages

Isaiah 43:1St. Clare of Assisi
Isaiah 43:7St. Ignatius of Loyola
Isaiah 53:5St. Bonaventure
Isaiah 55:8St. Augustine of Hippo
Isaiah 58:7St. Basil the Great

Coming up

Read at Mass.

From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Isaiah is read at the principal Mass on 35 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings:

Date	Celebration	Reading	Citation
Sun, Nov 29, 2026	First Sunday of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
Tue, Dec 1, 2026	Tuesday of the First Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 11:1-10
Wed, Dec 2, 2026	Wednesday of the First Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 25:6-10a
Thu, Dec 3, 2026	St. Francis Xavier, Priest	First Reading	Isaiah 26:1-6
Thu, Dec 3, 2026	St. Francis Xavier, Priest	Alleluia	Isaiah 55:6
Fri, Dec 4, 2026	Friday of the First Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 29:17-24
Sat, Dec 5, 2026	Saturday of the First Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26
Sat, Dec 5, 2026	Saturday of the First Week of Advent	Alleluia	Isaiah 33:22
Sun, Dec 6, 2026	Second Sunday of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Mon, Dec 7, 2026	St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church	First Reading	Isaiah 35:1-10
Wed, Dec 9, 2026	Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 40:25-31
Thu, Dec 10, 2026	Thursday of the Second Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 41:13-20
Thu, Dec 10, 2026	Thursday of the Second Week of Advent	Alleluia	See Isaiah 45:8
Fri, Dec 11, 2026	Friday of the Second Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 48:17-19
Sun, Dec 13, 2026	Third Sunday of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11
Sun, Dec 13, 2026	Third Sunday of Advent	Alleluia	Isaiah 61:1 (cited in Luke 4:18)
Wed, Dec 16, 2026	Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent	Alleluia	See Isaiah 40:9-10
Wed, Dec 16, 2026	Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent	First Reading	Isaiah 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25
Fri, Dec 25, 2026	The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)	First Reading	Isaiah 52:7-10
Sun, Jan 3, 2027	The Epiphany of the Lord	First Reading	Isaiah 60:1-6
Sun, Jan 10, 2027	The Baptism of the Lord	First Reading	Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Fri, Feb 12, 2027	Friday after Ash Wednesday	First Reading	Isaiah 58:1-9a
Sat, Feb 13, 2027	Saturday after Ash Wednesday	First Reading	Isaiah 58:9b-14
Tue, Feb 16, 2027	Tuesday of the First Week of Lent	First Reading	Isaiah 55:10-11

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.