Isaiah 65:1 kjv
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
Isaiah 65:1 nkjv
"I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am,' To a nation that was not called by My name.
Isaiah 65:1 niv
"I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.'
Isaiah 65:1 esv
I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here I am, here I am," to a nation that was not called by my name.
Isaiah 65:1 nlt
The LORD says, "I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.
I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.
I said, 'Here I am, here I am!'
to a nation that did not call on my name.
Isaiah 65 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 65:1 | "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me." | Direct Fulfillment |
| Rom 10:20 | "But Isaiah is very bold and says, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”" | Direct Fulfillment |
| John 4:24 | "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." | God's Immanence |
| Acts 17:27 | "The reason is that men might seek God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." | God's Proximity |
| Jer 29:13 | "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." | Seeking God |
| Psa 14:2 | "The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God." | God's Watchfulness |
| Psa 27:8 | "You said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, O Lord, do I seek.”" | Seeking God |
| Hos 5:6 | "They will not be able to offer him acceptable sacrifices with their flocks and herds. They will seek the Lord, but will not find him..." | When God Withdraws |
| Luke 11:9 | "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." | Divine Response |
| John 14:6 | "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”" | Access to God |
| Eph 2:13 | "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." | Being Brought Near |
| Matt 7:7 | "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." | God's Response |
| 1 Cor 1:30 | "He is the reason you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." | Christ as Access |
| 2 Chron 15:4 | "But in distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he gave them rest on every side." | Seeking in Distress |
| Psa 63:1 | "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." | Earnest Seeking |
| John 1:16 | "For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." | Grace Received |
| Acts 10:34 | "So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality," | Impartiality |
| Isa 45:19 | "I did not speak in secret, from some dark place of the earth. I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, “Seek me in vain.” I the Lord speak righteousness; I do not utter falsehood." | God's Openness |
| Rom 9:30 | "What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, though it was based on faith;" | Gentiles Righteousness |
| John 7:34 | "You will seek me, and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.”" | Conditional Seeking |
| Matt 11:28 | "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." | Invitation to Rest |
| Zech 1:3 | "Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Return to me, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, declares the Lord of hosts." | Divine Return |
Isaiah 65 verses
Isaiah 65 1 Meaning
Isaiah 65:1 declares God's accessibility and attentiveness to a people who had not sought Him. It signifies God's initiative in revealing Himself and His readiness to be found by those who were previously distant or unresponsive to His ways.
Isaiah 65 1 Context
This verse appears in Isaiah chapter 65, which speaks about God's future actions and the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth. The prophet addresses a people who have been rebellious and idolatrous, turning away from God. However, in His grace, God declares His willingness to be found by those who were not actively seeking Him. This passage contrasts the unfruitful state of His people with the unmerited favor God will extend. It speaks of a time of divine self-revelation and acceptance, moving beyond the limitations of past disobedience. This forms part of a broader prophetic vision of restoration and a new covenant reality where God's presence and salvation are extended in ways that exceed previous expectations.
Isaiah 65 1 Word Analysis
- "I" (אֲנִי - ani): Emphatic first-person singular pronoun, emphasizing God's personal action and initiative.
- "was found" (נִמְצָא - nimtza): Passive verb from the root מצא (matza), meaning "to find." Here, it signifies God allowing Himself to be discovered or encountered.
- "by those" (לְלֹא - lelo): Prepositional phrase indicating the recipients of God's revelation, meaning "not" or "without."
- "who did not seek me" (דְּרָשֻׁנִי - derashuniyi): Verb דרשׁ (darash) in the Qal perfect, third-person plural with a direct object suffix, meaning "to seek, inquire, ask." The negative prefix indicates a lack of intentional searching or inquiring after God.
- "I revealed myself" (נִגְלֵיתִי - nigleiti): Niphal perfect, first-person singular from the root גלה (galah), meaning "to reveal, uncover." This emphasizes God actively making Himself known.
- "to those" (לֹא - lo): Similar to the first "by those," signifying the recipients of this revelation.
- "who did not ask for me" (קְרָאוּנִי - qera'uniyi): Verb קרא (qara) in the Qal perfect, third-person plural with a direct object suffix, meaning "to call, call out, cry." It implies an absence of calling upon or invoking God.
Words Group Analysis:
- The parallel structure "not seek me" and "not ask for me" highlights the comprehensive neglect by this group, covering both an active seeking (darash) and a more immediate calling (qara). God's finding and revealing Himself bypasses this lack of active engagement.
- The passive voice "was found" and "revealed myself" underscore God's sovereign grace; it is God who initiates and enables this discovery and manifestation.
Isaiah 65 1 Bonus Section
This verse is foundational in understanding God's outreach to the nations. It points to a theological reality that God's initiative is primary in salvation history. While seeking God is vital for an individual relationship, God's revealed nature is such that He is findable and reveals Himself broadly. This verse finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament with the extension of the gospel to Gentiles who had not been seeking the God of Israel. The proclamation of Jesus Christ is the ultimate self-revelation of God that many encountered without prior active seeking. Scholars note that the language mirrors and contrasts with passages where diligent seeking is a prerequisite, underscoring the sovereign and universal aspect of God's saving love.
Isaiah 65 1 Commentary
Isaiah 65:1 is a profound statement of divine grace, illustrating that God actively extends His salvific presence even to those who have not earnestly pursued Him. This anticipates the unmerited favor shown in Christ, who is Himself the way God is found. While genuine seeking is commended throughout Scripture (Jeremiah 29:13), this verse highlights that God's nature is to be sought and reveals Himself, and that His salvific initiative can reach beyond the parameters of human religious pursuit, as exemplified by the inclusion of Gentiles in the New Testament era who had not previously "sought" God in the way Israel was meant to. It speaks to God's boundless love and desire for relationship, not dependent solely on prior human action.