The Messianic Prophecies

This lists all Messianic Prophecies from the Old Testament applied by New Testament writers. We also include some applied by early Christians and scholars today, plus some others that are disputed.

These include prophecies about:

The Messiah’s appearance,
Activities,
Death.

In addition, our list includes:

Prophecies about John the Immerser (John the Baptist) since his ministry and that of Jesus’ are closely related.
Prophecies about Judas Iscariot, since his betrayal of Jesus is a key event in the New Testament.
Prophecies about the preaching work carried out by Jesus’ apostles.

Index

Applied by New Testament Writers

Genesis 12:7 or Genesis 13:15 — To his ‘offspring’

‘Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said:

‘I will give this land to your offspring.’’

Quoted by Paul in Galatians 3:16, applying it to Jesus, a single ‘offspring’ of AbraHam.

Genesis 18:18 — All the nations will be blest

‘For AbraHam will become a great and highly populated nation through whom all the nations of the earth will be blest.’

Quoted by Paul in Galatians 3:8, applying it to the gentiles who are now believing in Jesus.

Genesis 22:18 — All the families of the earth will be blest through you

‘…and all the nations of the earth will be blest by your offspring, because you’ve listened to My voice!’

Quoted by Peter in Acts 3:25. He was arguing that the prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus.

Deuteronomy 18:15 — Yahweh will raise a prophet like me

‘Then [Yahweh] your God will raise a Prophet like me from among your brothers, and you must listen to him.’

Quoted by Stephen in Acts 7:37, applying it to Jesus.

Deuteronomy 18:18-19 — I’ll raise a prophet like you

‘…so, I’ll raise a Prophet like you from among their brothers, and I’ll put My words into his mouth and he will tell them whatever I command him to say…

‘Then I’ll bring My vengeance upon anyone who doesn’t listen to what that Prophet says in My name.’

Quoted by Peter in Acts 3:22-23, applying it to Jesus.

Deuteronomy 21:23 (LXX) — The one who is hanged is cursed

‘Don’t allow his body to remain on the tree overnight. You must bury it on that same day.

‘Because, throughout the ages, anyone who’s hanged on a tree is cursed before God, and you must not [allow his body to] dirty the land that [Yahweh] your God is giving to you as your inheritance.’

Quoted by Paul in Galatians 3:13, applying it to Jesus’ death, arguing that the ‘curse’ on Jesus bought ‘our freedom’ from the ‘curse’ of the Mosaic Law.

Deuteronomy 32:21 (LXX) — Provoke you to jealousy

‘…I’ll make them angry and jealous
Over others that are not [of your] nation…
I’ll enrage them with people whom they never knew.’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 10:19, in which he says the ‘people’ mentioned are the gentiles who are now believing in Jesus.

Deuteronomy 32:43 — Rejoice you gentiles

‘So, rejoice with Him, O you heavens,
And may God’s messengers all bow low before Him.
Rejoice with His people, you nations,
And may all of God’s sons be strengthened by Him.’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 15:10, applying it to the gentiles who are now believing in Jesus.

Also quoted in Hebrews 1:6, applying the words about the messengers bowing ‘low before him,’ to Jesus.

Psalm 2:1-2 — The kings are against Yahweh and His anointed

‘Why do the nations and all of the peoples
Think about things that are worthless?
For, the rulers of their lands and their kings
Are against [Yahweh] and His anointed.’

Quoted by Peter in Acts 4:25-26, applying it to the kings of the nations who are against Jesus.

Psalm 2:7 — You are my Son

‘You are My son,
And today, I’ve become your own Father.’

Quoted by Paul in Acts 13:33, saying that Jesus is the ‘son’ mentioned.

Also later quoted in Hebrews 1:5 and 5:5, likewise applying it to Jesus.

Some say that Hebrews 1:5 actually combines Psalm 2:7 with 2 Samuel 7:14.

Psalm 8:2 — Praised by the mouth of babes

‘From the mouths of infants and babies,
You’ve ordered up praises.’

Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:16 during a confrontation with the Chief Priests and the Scribes, applying it to himself.

Psalm 16:8-11 — You won’t leave me in the grave

‘I see that [Yahweh] is always beside me…
He’s at my right hand, so I’ll never fall.
For this, my heart will always be glad,
And my tongue will speak praises of Him.

Upon Him, my flesh camps in hope,
For, He won’t abandon my life in the grave,
Or, let His holy one see corruption.

The ways of life, He’s shown me,
And His face has filled me with joy.
Therefore, to my delight,
I’ll sit in perfection at His right hand.’

Quoted by Peter in Acts 2:25-28, with verse 10 being quoted by Paul in Acts 13:35, applying it to Jesus.

Psalm 19:4 (LXX) — To the ends of the earth

‘For, throughout the earth, their [death] knell has gone,
And these words have reached to the ends of man’s home…’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 10:18, applying it to the preaching of the Christian gospel to the ends of the earth.

Psalm 22:18 — Thrown dice for my clothes

‘They’ve divided my garments among them,
And thrown dice for the clothes that I wear.’

Quoted in John 19:24, applying it to the Roman soldiers who sold Jesus’ clothes while he was on the cross.

Psalm 22:22 (LXX) — I’ll fully declare your Name to my brothers

‘Then I’ll fully declare Your fame to my brothers,
And among the congregation, I’ll praise You.’

Quoted in Hebrews 2:12, saying the person doing the declaring of God’s Name is Jesus.

Psalm 34:20 — Not a bone of his will be crushed

‘For, [Yahweh] watches over their bones,
And not a single one will be broken.’

Quoted in John 19:36, applying it to the fact that Jesus did not have his bones broken to expediate his death (as was customary).

Psalm 40:6-8 (LXX) — Prepared a body for me

‘Sacrifices and offerings, You didn’t want,
Nor did You seek whole burnt offerings
Or sacrifices for [the covering of] sins;
Yet, You prepared a body for me.’

‘So I said:

‘Look, I’ve arrived…
In the knob of the scroll this was written about me:
‘I’ve come to do Your Will, O my God.’’

Quoted in Hebrews 10:5-6, applying it to Jesus’ body being prepared for God as a sacrifice, and Jesus’ willingness to do God’s will by giving up his life.

Psalm 41:9 — The one who used to chew my bread

‘And a man with whom I always had peace
(One upon whom I had always relied
And who once ate bread at my table),
Against me, made plans of deceit.’

Quoted by Jesus in John 13:18, applying it to Judas Iscariot and his upcoming betrayal.

Psalm 45:6-7 — Your throne, O god, is forever and ever

‘Your throne, O god, is throughout ages of ages,
And your Kingdom is ruled by your scepter.
For, you’ve loved what’s right,
And you’ve hated law breaking.

And for this, The God who is also your God
Has anointed you with His oil
And praised you above all your peers.’

Quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9, applying it to Jesus, calling him the ‘god’ who is seated on the throne by ‘The God, your God’. This shows that Jesus is a ‘god’ but also has The God as his Father.

Psalm 68:18 — You have ascended on high… you have given gifts

‘To the highest places, You stepped up,
And You’ve taken captives into captivity;
You received gifts [and shared them] among the people,
And camp among those who disobey!’

Quoted by Paul in Ephesians 4:8, applying it to Jesus who went ‘on high’ (to heaven) after being ‘low’ (on the earth), and then ‘received gifts’ from God and shared them ‘among the people’ (the spiritual gifts of the spirit experienced by the early Christians).

There is some debate over the difference in wording between the Psalm and Paul’s quote, but we believe it can be explained.

Psalm 69:4 — Disliked for no reason

‘My enemies number more than the hairs on my head…
Yes, there are many that hate me.
And my foes are now very strong
(Those who’ve unjustly driven me out).
And for things that I didn’t steal,
They tell me that I must repay.’

A paraphrase summary of Psalm 69:4 is quoted by Jesus in John 15:25.

Psalm 69:9 — Zeal for Your House

‘Although zeal for Your House has consumed me,
The scorn of blasphemers has fallen on me.’

Quoted by the narrator in John 2:17, applying it to Jesus’ throwing out the money changers from the temple.

Also quoted by Paul in Romans 15:3, showing how insults have fallen upon Jesus (presumably in his sacrificial death).

Psalm 69:25 — Let his estate lie empty

‘May the houses they own become empty,
And may no one ever live in their tents.’

Regarding Judas Iscariot, quoted by Peter in Acts 1:20.

Psalm 78:2 — Talking in parable

‘For, I’ll now speak illustrations,
And I’ll talk in riddles from the start.’

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 13:35, applying it to Jesus’ use of parables to teach.

Psalm 102:25-27 — Laying the foundations of the earth

‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,
And the heavens are the works of your hands.
Yet, they’ll pass by, while you still remain,
And like clothes (an old robe), they’ll grow old.

‘Then you’ll wrap them up and they will be changed.
But, you’re the same, for your years don’t expire.’

Quoted by Paul in Hebrews 1:10-12, saying that the ‘Lord’ here is Jesus.

Psalm 109:8 — Let another take his place

‘May their days no longer be many,
And may others take their positions.’

Quoted by Peter in Acts 1:20, applying it to the need to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the apostles.

Psalm 110:1 — Sit at my right hand…

‘[Yahweh] said this to my lord:

‘Sit here at My right hand
‘Til I set your enemies as a stool for your feet.’

Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, and Luke 20:42-43.

Then it’s quoted by Peter in Acts 2:34-35.

Finally, it’s applied to Jesus in Hebrews 1:13.

Psalm 110:4 — A Priest in the order of Melchizedek

‘This oath was sworn by [Yahweh],
And for it, He will never repent:

‘You’ll be a Priest throughout the ages
In the order of MelchiZedek.’

Quoted in Hebrews 5:6 and 7:21, arguing that the foretold priest is Jesus.

Psalm 117:1 — Praise Yahweh, you gentiles

‘Praise [Yahweh], you nations…
May He be praised by you all.’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 15:11, applying it to the gentiles who are now believing in Jesus.

Psalm 118:22-23 — The stone that the builders rejected

‘So, the stone that the builders rejected
Has become the foundation cornerstone…
It’s by [Yahweh] that this came to pass,
And in our eyes, it’s a beautiful thing.’

Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, and Luke 20:17 to apply it to himself.

Also quoted by Peter in Acts 4:11 and 1 Peter 2:7, likewise applying it to Jesus.

Isaiah 6:9-10 — Hearing but not understanding

‘Then, go to these people and say:

‘When it comes to hearing, you’ll hear,
But no way will you comprehend.
And when it comes to seeing, you’ll see,
But no way will you understand!’

‘Since the hearts of these people have hardened,
Their ears now listen too slowly,
And their eyes cannot see, since their eyelids are closed.
Thus, they will not hear with their ears
Nor will they see with their eyes.
So their hearts will not understand
And make them turn back, so I’d heal them.’

Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 13:14-15 and by the narrator in John 12:39-41, applying the prophecy to the people’s reactions to Jesus’ preaching.

It’s also quoted by Paul in Acts 28:25-27 where he applies it to many generations of Jews, including the one who was present in his day.

Isaiah 7:14 — A virgin will give birth to a son

‘Now, [Yahweh] will give you a sign…
{Look!} A virgin will get pregnant and then bear a son
Whom you must call, ImManuEl.’

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 1:23, applying it to Jesus’ miraculous birth.

Ever since the time of the Apostolic Fathers, some have tried to claim this should be translated ‘young woman’ instead of ‘virgin’, claiming that there never was a prophecy about a virgin birth.

However, if that’s the case, then a ‘young woman’ giving birth is hardly ‘a sign’ from God! Women do, after all, have this continuous habit of giving birth to babies (something that men, trees, and rocks have never shown any interest in doing).

There are several Hebrew words for human females:

betulah (בְּתוּלָה): This only means to be a ‘virgin.’ It is often used with phrases like ‘no man had known her’ to emphasize this state.
almah (עַלְמָה): A young woman of marriageable age, implying fertility and vigor of puberty. While it can refer to a virgin (like Rebekah in Genesis 24:43), it doesn’t specifically mean virginity, it just implies that she is a virgin because she is fertile and ready for marriage. This is the word used in the prophecy.
na'arah (נַעֲרָה): This is a general term for a little girl, applied from infancy to adolescence.
ishshah (אִשָּׁה) means ‘wife’ but it’s also the general word for ‘woman.’
almanah (אַלְמָנָה) means ‘widow’.

In our view, rather than spoiling the prophecy of the virgin birth, the choice of word seems to enhance it.

By using almah (עַלְמָה), it describes a young woman who is not only a virgin, but is also fertile and of marriageable age (if she was married it would have instead used ishshah, meaning ‘wife’). So almah describes Mary perfectly; she was, after all, a young devout woman dedicated to Yahweh, a virgin, engaged to Joseph, and was ready to be married.

Perhaps this is the point that most Christians miss.

Yes, of course the virgin birth is miraculous (and that’s what made a young woman giving birth ‘a sign’ from God), but there’s even more to it: the prophecy was specific to Mary’s age too. She wasn’t merely a virgin (betulah) who could have been in her late 20s or 30s, but a virgin in a specific age range — the age at which Hebrew girls were usually married (adolescence).

Isaiah 8:14 (MT and DSS) — Rock of offense

‘…he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling…’

Quoted as a parenthetical statement by Paul in Romans 9:33, applying it to Jesus.

Also paraphrased by Peter in 1 Peter 2:8, also applying it to Jesus.

The words are found in the Hebrew Masoretic Text and also the Great Isaiah Scroll, but they are not present in the Greek Septuagint’s version of Isaiah (at least, not the version that has come down to us).

This suggests two possibilites. Either:

Paul and Peter were going the Septuagint, but the version that’s survived to our day has been altered here.
Or, Paul and Peter never quoted the Septuagint, but used a now-lost version in Hebrew or Aramaic that included these words and also the unique wording we find in the Septuagint we see today.

We don’t know what happened, but whatever it was, it will only be solved by new manuscripts being found.

Isaiah 8:17-18 — I’ll put all my trust in him / The children God gave me

‘I’ll wait on The God
From whom Jacob’s house has now turned its face,
And in Him, I will put all my trust…
{Look} Both the children God gave me and I!’

Quoted in Hebrews 2:13, saying that the person speaking was Jesus, saying that he’ll put all his trust in God, and that God gives him spiritual ‘children’.

Isaiah 9:1-2 — The people in darkness see a bright light

‘Drink this first and fast… Do it quickly,
O lands of ZebuLun and NaphTali…
You on the coasts and the Jordan’s east shore,
And you, O Galilee of the gentiles!

‘The people who were traveling in darkness
Then saw a [very] bright light.
For a light will then shine upon those
Who live in the place of the shadow of death.’

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 4:12-16, applying it to Jesus’ preaching to the gentiles, especially in the region of Galilee.

Part of it may also be paraphrased by John’s father ZechariAh in Luke 1:79, where he foretold that John the Immerser (John the Baptist) would guide the people out of darkness into the light. Of course, John was also foretold to prepare the way for Jesus.

Isaiah 11:10 (LXX) — The root/origin of Jesse

‘In that day, the origin [literally: ‘root’] of JesSe [will sprout]…
He’ll arise to rule [all] the nations.
In him, the gentiles will trust,
And upon him, honor will rest.’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 15:12, applying it to Jesus and how the gentiles will trust in him.

Note this wording only appears today in the Greek Septuagint. The Hebrew text says that the nations (gentiles) will ‘rally’ to him, not ‘trust’ in him. Paul may have been quoting the Septuagint, but he may have been using a now long-lost Hebrew or Aramaic version of Isaiah that featured the wording.

To learn why we translate it as ‘origin’ rather than ‘root’, see our translator note.

Isaiah 28:16 (LXX) — Laying in Zion a stone

‘Because of this,’ says [Yahweh];
‘{Look!} Upon the foundation of Zion
I’ll place a valuable stone…
A costly, select cornerstone,
In order to serve as its base…
And those trusting in him will never be shamed.’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 9:33 and also by Peter in 1 Peter 2:6, with the ‘stone’ representing Jesus’ laying the foundation of the Christian congregation.

This wording only appears in the Greek Septuagint. The last line in the Hebrew text, in contrast, is different:

‘…he that believes won’t act hastily.’

However, Paul inserts a (parenthetical statement) in the middle of his quote, quoting Isaiah 8:14 in a way that only survives in the Dead Sea Scrolls and what is now called the Masoretic Text. This has led to much confusion, explored in our translator note.

See the translator note for Romans 9:33

Isaiah 29:13 — Praising with their lips

‘For, this is what was said by the Lord:

‘With their mouths, these people approach Me,
And with their lips, they offer Me praise…
But they’re far away from Me in their hearts.
So they’re wasting their time when they bow before Me,
Since they’re teaching the ideas and instructions of men!‘_

Quoted by the narrator in Mark 7:6-7, applying it to the Pharisees’ hypocrisy.

Isaiah 40:3-4 — Prepare the way for the Lord

‘Then I heard a voice that was calling from the desert. It said:

‘Prepare the way for the Lord…
Straighten the roads for our God!
Fill the valleys and flatten the mountains and hills…
All crooked paths must be straightened
And the ruts in the fields must be smoothed!

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 3:3 and Mark 1:2-3, applying it to John the Immerser (John the Baptist).

It was also quoted by John the Immerser himself at John 1:23, likewise applying it to himself.

Isaiah 42:1-4 — No crushed reed will he break

‘Jacob, My child, I’ll hold onto you…

‘O IsraEl, you’re the one whom I’ve chosen.
So [I’m sending someone] who will pour out my breath
And who will pass judgment on the gentiles.
He won’t cry out or raise his voice,
And his words won’t be heard out of doors.

‘No crushed reed will he break,
And no smoking flax wick will he snuff.
But, he will truly bring what is fair…
He’ll endure and not be destroyed
Until he brings justice to the earth.
In his name, the nations will hope…’

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 12:17-21, partially paraphrased, applying it to Jesus.

Isaiah 49:6 — Light to the nations

‘I’ve made a Sacred Agreement with them
To be a race that will serve
As a light to the nations,
And I’ll bring them salvation to the ends of the earth.’

Quoted by Paul or BarNabus in Acts 13:47 and applied to God’s people in their time.

Isaiah 52:7 — The feet of those bringing good news

‘As a time of beauty on the mountains…
As welcome as the feet of those bringing good news…
As joyful as a message of peace
When good things are being announced,
Will be the day when I save you,
And your God is reigning on Zion again.

Quoted by Paul in Romans 10:15 regarding the Christians’ preaching work at that time.

Isaiah 52:15 (LXX) — Seen by those to whom he didn’t preach

‘For, those who weren’t told about him, will see…
And those who haven’t heard, will understand.’

The wording is only found in the Greek Septuagint. The Hebrew text talks about what they won’t understand or see, only the Septuagint talks about him (not what).

Quoted and slightly rephrased by Paul in Romans 15:21, applying it to how news of Jesus is spread by the apostles.

Isaiah 53:1 — Who has trusted the report? … Shown us Yahweh’s arm

‘O Lord,
‘Who has trusted the Lord’s report?
And to whom has [Yahweh]’s arm been revealed?’

Quoted by the narrator in John 12:38, applying it to Jesus.

Also quoted by Paul in Romans 10:16, applying it to how people won’t believe the good news.

Isaiah 53:4 — He took our infirmities

From the Septuagint:

‘But, he has carried our sins;
And because of us, he came to know grief.

‘He came here to know misery…
For calamity and ill treatment by God.’

This is an interesting one. When it’s quoted in Matthew 8:17, it’s applied to Jesus, saying he carried our ‘weaknesses’. This is the wording found in the Hebrew text.

However, when it’s quoted in 1 Peter 2:24, it says he carried out ‘sins’ (not ‘weaknesses’), a wording only found in the Greek Septuagint.

This suggests that the ancient peoples view ‘weakness’ and ‘sins’ as synonyms here, something perhaps not always reflected in modern lexicons, dictionaries, and translations.

Isaiah 53:4-6 — By his wounds, you were healed / Sheep who had strayed

‘But, he has carried our sins;
And because of us, he came to know grief.

‘He came here to know misery…
For calamity and ill treatment by God.’
He was wounded because of our sins,
And for our lawless deeds, he was bruised.

[To bring us] peace, he was whipped,
And by his stripes, we were healed.
For, just like sheep, we’ve all strayed,
And in our own ways, we have wandered.

So [God] sent him to [cover] our sins;

Quoted, with some paraphrasing, in 1 Peter 2:24-25, where he applies it to Jesus and his followers whose sins are forgiven.

Interestingly, the first part of the quote, ‘carried our sins’ (like the quote in 1 Peter 2:24) only appears in the Greek Septuagint, with the Hebrew text saying ‘weaknesses’ instead of ‘sins’. However, this may just indicate that the ancient people viewed those two terms as talking about the same thing.

Isaiah 53:7-8 — Didn’t open his mouth / Like a lamb to the slaughter

‘And when evil was inflicted upon him,
He did not open his mouth…
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
And like a lamb with no voice before shearers,
He did not open his mouth.

‘In humiliation, his justice was taken away…
Who can speak of the evil of that generation?
His life was lifted away from the land,
And he was led to his death
For the lawless ways of My people.’

Quoted by the narrator Acts 8:32-33 as the verses that are being read by the Ethiopian Eunuch who’s talking to Philip. It contains some paraphrasing, and Philip then applies the verses to Jesus.

The passage in Acts doesn’t specify how this was fulfilled, as it’s assumed the reader understands it already. Today we assume it’s talking about how Jesus didn’t directly respond to Pilate’s questions before his execution, and also how Jesus was the ‘lamb of God’.

Isaiah 53:9 (B) — He wasn’t guilty of any sin / Didn’t lie

‘For, he had broken no Laws,
‘Nor was treachery found in his mouth.’

Quoted in 1 Peter 2:22, applying it to Jesus.

The first half of the verse is assumed to be talking about Jesus tomb (listed here), while the second half is talking about how Jesus didn’t sin or lie.

Isaiah 53:12 — Counted among the transgressors

‘For this, he inherited many,
And he’ll share his spoils with his mighty,
Because his soul was handed to death
And among the lawless, was numbered.
For, the sins of many, he bore…
And for their lawless deeds, he was given.’

Quoted by Jesus in Luke 22:37, where he applies it to his upcoming manner of death (being executed like a criminal).

Note that his ‘soul’ was ‘handed to death’, reflecting earlier Jewish and Christian beliefs that the ‘soul’ (inner person) is mortal, as Isaiah was written centuries before the ‘immortal soul’ doctrine was developed.

Isaiah 55:3 — I’ll give you the sacred things

‘I’ll proclaim an Agreement with him throughout the age
For the sacred, trusted things of [King] David.’

Quoted and slightly paraphrased by Paul in Acts 13:34, applied to Jesus inheriting the Sacred Agreement between God and David. This is because Jesus was a direct descendant of David, so he was lawfully king.

Isaiah 59:20-21 (LXX) — A savior will come out of Zion

‘Then a savior will come out of Zion
Who’ll remove the irreverence from Jacob,’ said [Yahweh].
‘And this is My Promise to them.’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 11:26-27, applying it to how Jesus saves by taking away sins.

There are two things to note here.

Firstly, the wording that the savior will ‘come out of’ Zion is only found today in the Greek Septuagint, with the Hebrew text saying the savior will ‘come to’ Zion instead. Also, only the Greek says that Yahweh will ‘remove’ their sins (irreverance), whereas the Hebrew says the savior comes to those who have already repented. See the verse in Hebrew at BibleHub.

Only the Greek Septuagint’s version actually matches Paul’s argument. You can either view Jesus as coming out of heavenly mount ‘Zion’, or literally when he was taken out of Jerusalem to be executed. Also, the Jews had not already repented, they were still in their sins, and it was Jesus’ sacrifice that ‘took away the sins of the world’.

Secondly, Paul appears to quote four lines, yes, in addition to the three found in Isaiah today.

The extra last line says:

‘When I remove all their sins’.

He could simply be adding an explanatory note (partially repeating the idea in the second line), and this is the interpretation we have chosen in our formatting of Romans 11:26-27.

However, it’s also possible that he’s quoting an older, now lost line from Isaiah that isn’t found it the surviving texts.

If so, this is the second time that Paul could be quoting an older, now-lost version of Isaiah, the first time being when he quoted Isaiah 8:14. He may have been quoting from an older version of the Septuagint or a long-lost Hebrew or Aramaic version of Isaiah. We don’t know.

Isaiah 61:1-2 — The Spirit of the Lord is upon me

‘The breath of [Yahweh] is upon me,
And I’ve been anointed by Him
To announce good news to the poor.

‘He sent me to heal broken hearts,
To proclaim a freedom to captives
And a recovery of sight to the blind…
To call for a year of [Yahweh]’s favor,
As well as a day of vengeance,
And to comfort those who are sad.’

Quoted in Luke 4:18-19, as the words Jesus read from Isaiah in the synagogue, which he then applies to himself.

Isaiah 65:1 — A nation that has never called on My Name

‘I was seen by those not searching for Me,
And found by those not asking for Me…
I said, ‘Here I am,’ to a nation
That had never called on My Name.’

Quoted by Paul in Romans 10:20, applying it to the gentiles who are now believing in Jesus.

Jeremiah 31:15 — RacheEl crying for her children

‘A voice was heard crying from RamAh…
The sounds of weeping, wailing, and grief.
It was RachEl crying over her sons…
She refused to accept any comfort,
Because they aren’t here anymore.’

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 2:18, applying them to the ‘massacre of the innocents’ in Bethlehem.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (LXX) — A new Sacred Agreement (covenant)

³¹ '‘Look… The days are coming,’ says [Yahweh],
‘When I’ll make an arrangement with IsraEl’s house,
As well as with the houses of Judah.’

‘I’ll conclude a New Sacred Agreement
³² That’s unlike the one that I made with their fathers
In the day that I grabbed their hands
To lead them from Egypt’s land.
But because they didn’t keep My Sacred Agreement,
I had to let them go,’ says [Yahweh].

³³ ‘So, this is My [New] Sacred Agreement
That I will conclude with IsraEl then,’ said [Yahweh],
I will put My Laws in their minds,
And into their hearts, I will write them.
Then, they’ll be My people and I’ll be their God.

³⁴ ‘There’s no way they’ll then teach their neighbors and brothers
That they must learn of [Yahweh];
For, all will know Me from the least to the great.
And when it comes to their errors and sins…
I will kindly forget them!’

Quoted in Hebrews 8:7-12, applied to the new Sacred Agreement (covenant) that Jesus is the mediator of.

Verses 33 and 34 are quoted a second time in Hebrews 10:16-17.

Verse 32 as quoted in Hebrews 8 is the form only seen today in the Greek Septuagint. The Hebrew text doesn’t say ‘I had to let them go’ but instead says, ‘though I was a husband to them’. Other than that, the two are the same. The Greek Septuagint is unflattering, as it implies that God would indeed ‘let them go’, mirroring what Jesus said:

‘…the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that produces its fruit.’ (Matthew 21:43).

This adds to our suspicions about the Hebrew text has perhaps been altered to discredit Jesus and Christianity.

So once again, the Apostles were either using the Septuagint, or they were quoting an older, now-lost version of the Hebrew (or Aramaic) text. We don’t know.

Hosea 11:1 (MT) — I called my son out of Egypt

The Greek Septuagint says:

‘So I called his children from Egypt.’

The Hebrew Masoretic text says:

‘I called my son out of Egypt.’

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 2:15, applying it to how Jesus and his parents fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s slaughter of the innocents, and then a spirit messenger told Joseph to return to Israel with his wife and the child.

This is an unusual quote, as it’s one of the few where the wording only appears in the Hebrew Masoretic Text. This is either because the Greek Septuagint was mistranslated from Hebrew here, or the version that’s come down to us today was altered later. We don’t know, but it seems likely that it was simply a translation choice, as the Greek translator perhaps didn’t understand that the singular ‘son’ was actually a hidden prophecy, and not just a reference to the Israelites leaving Egypt.

Joel 2:32 — Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved

‘Then, all who call on the name of the Lord
Will be the ones who are saved,’ said [Yahweh].

‘For, to Mount Zion and JeruSalem,
Will come a person who saves,
Announcing good news to all those
Who’ve been called by the Lord.’

Quoted by Peter in Acts 2:21, and later by Paul in Romans 10:13, implying that the ‘Lord’ is Jesus, not Yahweh. It is also the ‘mystery quote’ that Paul paraphrases in 2 Timothy 2:19 (although most people don’t know that!).

This particular quote contributes to an interesting question about the reliability of the Hebrew Masoretic Text. In Hebrew, it says ‘call on the name of YHWH’, but we suspect that God’s Name was incorrectly restored in the Hebrew text, and this is one of those places.

Alternatively, Peter and Paul may be just emphasising that Jesus is God’s representative.

Amos 9:11-12 — Rebuild the tabernacle of David

‘And in that day, the tent of David that has fallen
Will thereafter stand once again
And its [broken] things, I’ll rebuild…
The things I cut down, I’ll raise…
I’ll rebuild it as it had been before.

‘Then, those who are left of the nations
May inquire of those who’ve called on My Name.’

Quoted by James in Acts 15:15-17, where he uses it to argue that God has chosen ‘to take a people for His Name from among the gentiles’.

Micah 5:2-4 — From Bethlehem

² ‘Then from you, O BethLehem of EphRatha
(The few among the thousands of Judah),
Will come a man who’ll be IsraEl’s king…
One whose [roots] are from the most ancient times
And from the days of the ages.

³ ‘And because of this, he’ll appoint her
A time that will be [like the giving] of birth.
For thereafter, she’ll [really] give birth
To the remnant of those who are brothers,
And to the sons of IsraEl, they’ll return.

⁴ ‘Yes, by the strength of [Yahweh],
A shepherd will rise to [watch over] them,
And they’ll bask in the glory of the Name of their God,
Which will then become known to the ends of the earth.

Quoted in paraphrase by the Chief Priests and Scribes in Matthew 2:6 when King Herod asked them where the Messiah would be born.

It’s also referenced in John 7:42 when the crowds discussed among themselves who Jesus was. Some concluded that Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah because he was from Galilee, not Bethlehem like the prophecy stated (not realising he was born in Bethlehem and only grew up in Galilee).

Habakkuk 1:5 — A work I’ll do in your days

‘Look, O you who’s speaking such words…
Gaze and wonder at wonders,
And thereafter, just pass away!
For I’ll do a work in your day,
Which you won’t believe and none can describe!

Quoted in paraphrase by Paul in Acts 13:41, where he applies it to Jesus’ resurrection and the work he was doing in preaching the gospel.

Zechariah 9:9 — Riding on a donkey

‘So rejoice, O daughter of Zion;
Shout aloud, you daughters of JeruSalem;
For {Look!} your king will be coming to you…
The righteous one who’s your Savior.

‘He will be [a person who’s] gentle,
And on a beast of burden, he will arrive…
Yes, even upon a young foal!’

Quoted by the narrator in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:14-15, showing how his entrance to Jerusalem may have been different to what one would expect of a king, but perfectly fulfilling the prophecy.

Zechariah 11:12-13 — Thirty pieces of silver

‘And then, I’ll tell them to do
Whatever they find to be good…
Yes, pay my wage or forbid it!
So, they established my wage…
It was 30 pieces of silver.’

‘Then the Lord [messenger] said to me:

‘Now, throw them into the Temple…
But check to make sure that the [coins] are all pure;
For, this is my [value] before them.
So [he’ll] take the 30 pieces of silver
And throw them into the Temple.’

Referenced in Matthew 27:9-10 to show how events with Judas’ betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and him throwing them into the temple, were all foretold.

Zechariah 12:10 (MT) — Look to the one they have pierced

The Hebrew Masoretic text says:

‘They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.’ (NIV)

Quoted by the narrator in John 19:37, applying it to how Jesus was pierced in his side on the cross.

This wording is one of the few only present in the Hebrew masoretic text, not the Greek Septuagint. It seems the Greek translator didn’t understand the prophecy, and took the expression ‘pierced’ to mean an emotional jabbing, or mocking! The Septuagint accidentally says:

‘So they’ll look upon me, Because of whom they mocked.’

So in Greek, it instead uses a word that literally means to dance in triumph over a defeated enemy. The translator obviously had no way of knowing that he was mangling a prophecy about the Messiah!

Malachi 3:1 — Prepare the road that’s before him

‘So, {Look!} I’ll be sending My messenger to you,
To prepare the way for the face of the Lord
(The one for whom you’ve been searching),
And he’ll suddenly arrive at My Temple…
This messenger of [My] Sacred Agreement.

Quoted, with some paraphrase, by Jesus in Matthew 11:10 and Luke 7:27, when asking the crowd about the identity of John the Immerser.

Applied by Early Christians and Scholars

These are quotes from the Old Testament that some believe are prophecies about the Messiah, but not specifically quoted by the New Testament writers.

(Others will be added here as we find them.)

Psalm 69:21 — They gave me vinegar

‘As food, they offered me bile,
And gave me vinegar instead, to quench my thirst.’

Understood to be fulfilled when Jesus was given ‘vinegar to drink’ on the cross, mentioned in John 19:29. It probably wasn’t really what we would call ‘vinegar’ today, but fermented sour wine mixed with gall (or myrrh) which had narcotic effects, designed to relieve the pain of those being crucified.

Isaiah 53:9 (A) — Buried among the rich

‘Although they made his grave with the wicked,
Among the rich, [he was buried].’

Jesus was famously buried in a tomb donated by a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea. So he was, ironically, killed among common criminals, but then buried among the rich.

This is the first part of the verse. The second half of the verse is quoted in 1 Peter 2:22, but that’s the part talking about how he didn’t sin or lie (listed here).

Ezekiel 37:24-28 — My servant David shall be king over them

‘My servant ‘David,’ will rule in their midst,
And there’ll be one ‘shepherd’ for all.
They will follow My orders…
They’ll know My decisions and do them!

[…]

‘And throughout the age, both they and their sons
Will all be living together,
And be ruled by My servant ‘David.’

[…]

‘I’ll put My shelter among them;
Then they’ll be My people and I’ll be their God.
And the nations will know that I am [Yahweh].

Frequently interpreted to be about Jesus, a descendant of David, ruling over all Christians.

Daniel 9:24-27 — The 70 Weeks prophecy

Too long to quote here, but it is widely believed that this prophecy is about the Messiah, and is fulfilled in Jesus.

Interestingly, the Old Greek version of Daniel words it slightly differently than the traditional Hebrew Masoretic Text, and most importantly, its wording fits Jesus much better!

For details, see our page on the differences between Daniel 9 in the Old Greek version.

Uncertain or Disputed

Psalm 22:1 — Why have you forsaken me?

Quoted by Jesus when he was on the cross in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34.

We mark this as ‘uncertain’ because these particular words are not a ‘prophecy’ in the strictest sense, but merely Jesus’ referring to the opening words of the Psalm, perhaps because they are fitting for the occasion.

However, the entire psalm itself could be classed as prophetic, as certain verses in the psalm are identifed as specific prophecies by New Testament writers (e.g. verses 18 and 22). Some view the entire psalm as a prophecy of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Jesus knew that Yahweh was not abandoning him, and understood exactly what was happening and why. And indeed, the whole point of the psalm is that God actually is with his anointed one, despite how one may feel at the time (the psalm was originally written by King David). Jesus may have been making what we today would call ‘a cultural reference’ to the psalm.

See our translator note

Psalm 119:120 (LXX) — Nail down my body

The Greek Septuagint says:

‘Nail down my body due to my fear of You,
For I [reverentially] feared Your judgments,
Yes, I’ve done what’s just and right…
So don’t hand me over to those abusing me.

The Hebrew text says:

‘My flesh trembles in fear of you.’ (NIV)

Also, one of the partial fragements of the Dead Sea Scrolls says:

‘My flesh trembles for fear of you.’ (11Q5 Psalms^a, 30-50 AD)

So, even though the early Christians quoted this as a messianic prophecy from the Greek Septuagint, modern scholars often say that it was either an accidental misreading of the Greek, or a mistranslation from Hebrew to Greek.

Also, not all Septuagint translators agree on its wording. Brenton’s 1851 Septuagint translation says:

‘Penetrate my flesh with thy fear’

He interprets the ‘nail’ to be more figurative than literal.

However, we must also consider:

The early Christians absolutely believed this was a literal reference to Jesus’ crucifixion, and they were closer to the events and original languages than we are. This doesn’t mean they always get things right (they didn’t!), but it should their viewpoint ought to be at least considered, not discarded.
They claimed that the Hebrew text was deliberately corrupted in places to discredit Jesus and Christianity. This could be true in several places, but it could also be that disbelieving Jews simply picked from the variants that already existed, choosing those that sound less supportive of Jesus. We know variants existed because we’ve found some in the Dead Sea Scrolls. These variants could have come about through some copies being written to paraphrase, or to make it easier to read in public, with other versions kept for more scholarly use. We even do that today with easy-to-read Bible translations, children’s Bibles, etc.
The early Church was so certain of this prophecy, that the Latin Vulgate (which was supposed to be based on Hebrew), used the word Latin word confige, meaning ‘to fasten, pierce through, transfix’.
The Septuagint version of the Psalms was probably translated in the 2^nd century BC, approximately 200 years before the Dead Sea Scrolls fragment featuring the verse was written (11Q5 Psalms^a). It’s possible that the Septuagint translators were working from a now-lost Hebrew variant, perhaps even the original.

Therefore, we feel this is could be a messianic prophecy, based on a now-lost Hebrew variant. But we list it as ‘uncertain’ because we don’t (yet) have any Hebrew manuscript containing that variant. Perhaps we will one day, or perhaps the early Christians were simply wrong and the Greek Septuagint had a bad translation error here. We simply don’t know.

Also see our translator note on this verse

Isaiah 9:6 — Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

‘For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ (KJV)

While this may be a frequently quoted as a Messianic prophecy, it has serious problems. Its authenticity is uncertain, its history strange, its translation disputed, and early peoples believed it was both phrased differently and talking about someone else.

Missing from the Greek

Firstly, while the traditional words are found in the Hebrew text (both the Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls), key parts are absent from the Greek Septuagint (the Bible used by the early Christians), and the entire verse is worded completely differently.

It says:

‘So for us, a child has been born,
And for us, a son has been given;
Upon whose shoulders authority was laid,
And called [a] messenger of great counsel.
Then, to this prince, I’ll bring peace and good health.’

This version seems to point to King HezekiAh, not the Messiah.

While differences between the two textual families are not unusual, it’s highly unusual for a Messianic prophecy to be missing from the Greek text; it’s more common to see it the other way around.

This means the words ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ were either added to one textual family, or removed from the other, and we don’t know which, why, when, or by whom.

That’s not a great start.

Not quoted for about 300 years

Secondly, the early Christians did not quote the verse for the first ~300 years of Christianity. That’s a long time!

This makes us wonder why not, especially given that many early Christians were Jews who could read Hebrew and had access to it. Did they know something that we don’t? Perhaps. (Note: the only place it appears before AD 325 is in fraudlent works by ‘Pseudo Ignatius’.)

The content is wrong

Thirdly, despite people quoting the words as if they inevitably point to Jesus, there is no record of Jesus being called ‘Wonderful Counsellor’, ‘Mighty God’, ‘Eternal Father’, or ‘Prince of Peace’ anywhere in the New Testament. That’s rather strange, considering that this is supposed to be one of the main prophecies about the Messiah!

Yet it gets worse, as Jesus himself said things that contradicted the verse. He called himself the ‘son of man’ and ‘son of God’ (not ‘Mighty God’ nor ‘father’), and said that he came to bring ‘a sword’ to the earth (not ‘peace’):

‘Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth?
No, I’ve come to create divisions!’
[Luke 12:51]

Here’s a list of all the titles applied to Jesus (either by himself or by others) in the New Testament:

Anointed One (Christ / Messiah)
[A] God
King of the Jews, The
Lamb of God, The
Light of the world, The
Lord
Master
Prophet
Savior
Son of David
Son of God
Son of Joseph
Son of Man
Son of Mary
Teacher (Rabbi)
Yahweh’s Arm (‘Lord’s’ Arm)
Word, The

Nobody called him any of the titles mentioned in Isaiah 9:6, not even once.

Ancient peoples understood it differently

Fourthly, the ancient Aramaic Targums (paraphrased translations of the Hebrew text into Aramaic) tell us how the ancient peoples understood the verse. They describe it like this:

‘For a child has been born to us, a son given to us, and the authority is upon his shoulder, and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, called his name, ‘the prince of peace.’‘

As you can see, they understood the verse very differently. In their version, the first three titles are describing God giving a title to somebody else. Only that last title, ‘prince of peace’ is given to the child as a ‘name’. The child, by the way, is usually interpreted as being King HezekiAh, who was at least spoken of as bringing peace.

Later in Isaiah 39:8, HezekiAh is quoted as saying:

‘…may there be peace and justice during the days of my reign!’

So, if Aramaic Targum-readers understood the verse that way, this strongly suggests that this is how 1^st century Jews and early Christians understood it too. If they didn’t believe it was a Messianic prophecy, well, then that pretty much explains why they never quoted it as such.

These people were thousands of years closer to the events than us; they were culturally far closer to the original text, language, and context than we are today. That’s a big deal! So, if they didn’t think it pointed to the Messiah, then we should be at least willing to consider their viewpoint.

That’s why we list this verse, probably the most famous ‘Messianic prophecy’ in the Bible, as ‘disputed’.

However, a few verses earlier we find words that are confirmed to be a Messianic prophecy. Isaiah 9:1-2 includes the prophecy about the people in darkness seeing a bright light, fulfilled in Jesus’ teaching campaign. This is quoted as a fulfilled prophecy in Matthew 4:12-16. Its close proximity to this verse may have added to the confusion in later centuries.

Zechariah 13:6 — Wounds in hands

The verse (in the International Standard Version) says:

‘Someone will say to him: ‘What are these injuries to your hands?’ He will reply, ‘…what I received at my friend’s house.’’

Some Christians view this as a prophetic reference to Jesus’ death when he was nailed up. However, the passage is actually talking about a false prophet!

The mention of hand injuries is probably a reference back to verse 3, where the man is supposed to be ‘bound’, which very likely means he had his hands tied up, not that they were nailed to wood.

Regarding the false prophet’s parents, it says:

‘…his father and the mother who bore him must bind him, because of his [false] prophecies.’

Then, later in the passage, someone suspects that he’s a former false prophet because they notice the injuries to his hands. Since you can bind someone by tying a rope tightly around their hands, it seems to add up.

That’s why in our translation we try to defer this misunderstanding with a [translator insertion] saying:

‘Then what are these wounds in your hands [from being bound]?’

So this verse is probably not a prophecy about Jesus, but simply an innocent reference back to verse 3 in a passage talking about a false prophet. That’s why we list it as ‘disputed’.

There are many clear and fulfilled prophecies about Jesus, but this is unlikely to be one of them.

Zechariah 13:7 — Strike the shepherd

The Greek Septuagint says:

‘O broadsword, rise up against my shepherds,
And against my own countryman…’
Says [Yahweh] the Almighty,
‘Strike the shepherds, and the sheep scatter…’
‘For against the shepherds, I’m raising My hand.

In contrast, the Hebrew version says ‘strike the shepherd’ (singular).

People commonly think that this is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 26:31 and Mark 14:27, applying it to himself as the ‘shepherd’ who is struck, foretelling how his disciples would flee at the time of his arrest (or, as some believe, how they would scatter across the earth to preach the gospel).

However, others believe Jesus is merely quoting a general principle that happens to appear in that prophecy. Generally, a person’s followers will disperse when their leader is gone. That’s true. But the prophecy that people think he’s quoting is actually talking about multiple wicked shepherds, not a single good shepherd.

Why would Jesus apply a prophecy about wicked shepherds whom God hates to himself?

A simpler explanation is that the prophecy in Zechariah is actually talking about the hypocritical leaders of Israel whom Yahweh was against, not about God’s Son, and it happened to quote a general principle that is universally true, which Jesus happens to mention.

After all, if the principle is stated in the Bible, then it must be true. So if Jesus was quoting this verse at all, he was only quoting it as proof that followers do indeed disperse when their leader is gone; he was unlikely to be applying that text as a distinct prophecy about himself. He was not a hypocritical leader, and he was not a wicked shepherd!

So we list this as ‘disputed’.

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