Isaiah 55 in the early church
[Vulgate: Isaias]
77 passages quote, allude to, or echo Isaiah 55, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13
Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:2 | Prophetic Extracts 4.28 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Isa 55:2–5 | Demonstration of the Gospel 2.2.19 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Isa 55:2 | Catechetical Lecture 18.32 · Cyril of Jerusalem | quotation, high confidence | ca. 350 |
Isaiah 55:3
Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:3 | Dialogue with Trypho 11.2 · Justin Martyr | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:3 | Dialogue with Trypho 12.1 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:3 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.4 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:3 | Against Marcion 3.20 · Tertullian | quotation, high confidence | 207/208 (third edition, completed later) |
| Isa 55:3 | Against Marcion 4.1 · Tertullian | quotation, high confidence | 207/208 (third edition, completed later) |
| Isa 55:3 | On the Trinity 9 · Novatian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Isa 55:3 | Prophetic Extracts 4.28 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Isa 55:3 | Book of Heresies 129.2 · Philastrius of Brescia | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380s |
Isaiah 55:4
Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations, a leader and commander of the peoples.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:4 | Dialogue with Trypho 12.1 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:4 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.4 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:4 | Against Marcion 3.20 · Tertullian | quotation, high confidence | 207/208 (third edition, completed later) |
| Isa 55:4 | Lines 285–308 · Commodian | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century (disputed) |
| Isa 55:4 | On the Trinity 9 · Novatian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Isa 55:4–5 | To Quirinus 1.21 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later) |
| Isa 55:4 | Prophetic Extracts 4.28 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Isa 55:4–5 | Demonstration of the Gospel 2.3.42 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
Isaiah 55:5
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory on you.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:5 | Dialogue with Trypho 12.1 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:5 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.4 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:5 | Against Marcion 3.20 · Tertullian | quotation, high confidence | 207/208 (third edition, completed later) |
| Isa 55:5 | On the Trinity 9 · Novatian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Isa 55:5 | Prophetic Extracts 4.28 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Isa 55:5 | Demonstration 16.5 · Aphrahat | quotation, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Isa 55:5 | Book 2, chapter 18 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 440-450 |
| Isa 55:5 | Part 3, chapter 35 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:6 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.5 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:6 | To Autolycus 3.11 · Theophilus of Antioch | quotation, high confidence | ca. 180–185 |
| Isa 55:6 | Miscellanies 2.22.135 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Isa 55:6–7 | To Quirinus 3.11 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later) |
| Isa 55:6–7 | Demonstration 14.2 · Aphrahat | quotation, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Isa 55:6 | Homily 7 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 379–394 |
| Isa 55:6 | On the Trinity 15.2 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 399–419 |
Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:7 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.5 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:7 | To Autolycus 3.11 · Theophilus of Antioch | quotation, high confidence | ca. 180–185 |
| Isa 55:7 | Miscellanies 2.22.135 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Isa 55:7 | Three Letters to Sympronianus 1.5 · Pacian of Barcelona | quotation, high confidence | ca. 360-390 |
| Isa 55:7 | Three Letters to Sympronianus 3.16 · Pacian of Barcelona | quotation, high confidence | ca. 360-390 |
| Isa 55:7 | On the Trinity 15.2 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 399–419 |
Isaiah 55:8
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:8 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.5 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:8 | Against Heresies 2.13.3 · Irenaeus of Lyons | allusion, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Isa 55:8 | Homilies on Numbers 9.1 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Isa 55:8 | Ancoratus 48.7 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374 |
| Isa 55:8 | On Noah 9 · Ambrose | allusion, low confidence | ca. 378-384 |
| Isa 55:8–9 | Book of Heresies 93.5 · Philastrius of Brescia | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380s |
Isaiah 55:9
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:9 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.5 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:9 | Miscellanies 2.22.136 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Isa 55:9 | Homily 10 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Isa 55:9 | Letters 8.3 · Paulinus of Nola | echo, low confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Isa 55:9 | Tractates 3 · Gaudentius of Brescia | quotation, high confidence | ca. 397-410 |
Isaiah 55:10
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:10 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.6 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:10 | Against Heresies 4.25.3 · Irenaeus of Lyons | allusion, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Isa 55:10 | Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9:10–11 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 366–384 |
| Isa 55:10 | Exposition of Psalm 118 13.24.3 · Ambrose | echo, medium confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Isa 55:10–11 | Part 2, chapter 18 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:11 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.6 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
Isaiah 55:12
You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:12 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.7 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:12 | Exhortation to Martyrdom 18 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | 235 |
| Isa 55:12 | Hexameron (Exameron) 4.3 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 387-390 |
Isaiah 55:13
Instead of the thornbush, the cypress will grow, and instead of the brier, the myrtle will spring up; this will make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign, never to be destroyed.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:13 | Dialogue with Trypho 14.7 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Isa 55:13 | Homily on the Song of Songs 2 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Isa 55:13 | Homily 9 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |