Isaiah 33:14

Easy-to-Read Version

The sinners in Zion are afraid. Those who do wrong shake with fear. They say, "Can any of us live through this fire that destroys? Who can live near this fire that burns forever?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The sinners in Zion are afraid;trembling seizes the ungodly:“Who among us can dwell with a consuming fire?Who among us can dwell with ever-burning flames?”

Hebrew Names Version
The sinners in Tziyon are afraid; trembling has seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burning?

King James Version
The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

English Standard Version
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: "Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?"

New American Standard Bible
Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?"

New Century Version
The sinners in Jerusalem are afraid; those who are separated from God shake with fear. They say, "Can any of us live through this fire that destroys? Who can live near this fire that burns on and on?"

Amplified Bible
The sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. [They cry] "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?"

World English Bible
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burning?

Geneva Bible (1587)
The sinners in Zion are afraide: a feare is come vpon the hypocrites: who among vs shall dwel with the deuouring fire? who among vs shall dwell with the euerlasting burnings?

Legacy Standard Bible
Sinners in Zion are in dread;Trembling has seized the godless."Who among us can sojourn with the consuming fire?Who among us can sojourn with continual burning?"

Berean Standard Bible
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling grips the ungodly: "Who of us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting flames?"

Contemporary English Version
Those terrible sinners on Mount Zion tremble as they ask in fear, "How can we possibly live where a raging fire never stops burning?"

Complete Jewish Bible
The sinners in Tziyon are frightened; trembling has seized the ungodly. "Who of us can live with the devouring fire? Who of us can live with eternal burning?"

Darby Translation
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath surprised the hypocrites: Who among us shall dwell with the consuming fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting flames?

George Lamsa Translation
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the heathen. Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Good News Translation
The sinful people of Zion are trembling with fright. They say, "God's judgment is like a fire that burns forever. Can any of us survive a fire like that?"

Lexham English Bible
Sinners are afraid in Zion; trembling has seized the godless: "Who of us can live with devouring fire? Who of us can live with everlasting consuming hearths?"

Literal Translation
The sinners of Zion are afraid; terror has seized profane ones; who of us shall tarry with consuming fire? Who of us shall tarry with everlasting burnings?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The synners at Sion are afrayde, a sodane fearfulnesse is come vpon the ypocrytes. What is he amonge us (saye they) that will dwell by that consumynge fyre? which of vs maye abyde that euerlastinge heate?

American Standard Version
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?

Bible in Basic English
The sinners in Zion are full of fear; the haters of God are shaking with wonder. Who among us may keep his place before the burning fire? who among us may see the eternal burnings?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath seized the ungodly: 'Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?'

King James Version (1611)
The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearefulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites: who among vs shall dwell with the deuouring fire? who amongst vs shall dwell with euerlasting burnings?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The sinners at Sion are afrayde, a sodayne fearefulnesse is come vpon the hypocrites: What is he among vs say they that shall dwell by the consumyng fire? Which of vs may abyde the euerlasting heate?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The sinners in Sion have departed; trembling shall seize the ungodly. Who will tell you that a fire is kindled? Who will tell you of the eternal place?

English Revised Version
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling hath surprised the godless ones. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Synneris ben al to-brokun in Syon, tremblyng weldide ipocritis; who of you mai dwelle with fier deuowringe? who of you schal dwelle with euerlastinge brennyngis?

Update Bible Version
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless ones: Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?

Webster's Bible Translation
The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

New English Translation
Sinners are afraid in Zion; panic grips the godless. They say, ‘Who among us can coexist with destructive fire? Who among us can coexist with unquenchable fire?'

New King James Version
The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?"

New Living Translation
The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear. Terror seizes the godless. "Who can live with this devouring fire?" they cry. "Who can survive this all-consuming fire?"

New Life Bible
Sinners in Zion are filled with fear. The sinful shake with fear. They cry, "Who among us can live with the fire that destroys? Who among us can live with the fire that burns forever?"

New Revised Standard
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: "Who among us can live with the devouring fire? Who among us can live with everlasting flames?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Terror-stricken in Zion, - are sinners, Shuddering hath seized the impious, - Who among us can sojourn with a fire that devoureth? Who among us can sojourn with burnings age-abiding?

Douay-Rheims Bible
The sinners in Sion are afraid, trembling hath seized upon the hypocrites. Which of you can dwell with devouring fire? which of you shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Revised Standard Version
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: "Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?"

Young's Literal Translation
Afraid in Zion have been sinners, Seized hath trembling the profane: Who doth dwell for us -- consuming fire, Who doth dwell for us -- burnings of the age?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?"

Contextual Overview

¹³ "You people in faraway lands, listen to what I have done. You people who are near me, learn about my power." ¹⁴ The sinners in Zion are afraid. Those who do wrong shake with fear. They say, "Can any of us live through this fire that destroys? Who can live near this fire that burns forever?" ¹⁵ Good, honest people who refuse to hurt others for money will live through that fire . They refuse to take bribes or listen to plans to murder other people. They refuse to look at plans for doing bad things. ¹⁶ They will live safely in high places. They will be protected in high rock fortresses. They will always have food and water. ¹⁷ Your eyes will see the King in his beauty. You will see the great land. ¹⁸When you think about the troubles you had in the past, you will wonder, "Where are those foreigners who spoke languages we could not understand. Where are the officials and tax collectors from other lands? Where are the spies who counted our defense towers?" ²⁰ Look at Zion, the city of our religious festivals. Look at Jerusalem—that beautiful place of rest. Jerusalem is like a tent that will never be moved. The pegs that hold her in place will never be pulled up. Her ropes will never be broken, ²¹because the Lord is our powerful leader there. That land is a place with streams and wide rivers, but there will be no enemy boats or powerful ships on those rivers. You men who work on such boats can stop your work with the ropes. You cannot make the mast strong enough. You will not be able to open your sails, because the Lord is our judge. He makes our laws. He is our king. He saves us. The Lord will give us our wealth. Even crippled people will get their share. ²⁴ No one living there will say, "I am sick," because everyone living there has had their guilt removed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sinners: Isaiah 7:2, Isaiah 28:14, Isaiah 28:15, Isaiah 28:17-22, Isaiah 29:13, Isaiah 30:8-11, Numbers 17:12, Numbers 17:13, Job 15:21, Job 15:22, Job 18:11, Psalms 53:5, Proverbs 28:1, Revelation 6:15-17

the hypocrites: Isaiah 9:17, Isaiah 10:6, Matthew 22:12, Matthew 24:51

Who among us shall dwell with the: Isaiah 5:24, Isaiah 29:6, Isaiah 30:27-33, Deuteronomy 5:24, Deuteronomy 5:25, Deuteronomy 32:21-24, Psalms 11:6, Psalms 21:9, Psalms 50:3, Nahum 1:6, Hebrews 12:29

everlasting: Isaiah 34:9, Isaiah 66:24, Matthew 18:8, Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43-49, Luke 16:23-26, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, Revelation 14:10, Revelation 20:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:10 - and I was Leviticus 13:57 - shalt burn Leviticus 21:9 - she shall be burnt Numbers 11:1 - and the fire Deuteronomy 4:24 - thy God Deuteronomy 9:3 - a consuming fire Deuteronomy 28:34 - General Judges 20:41 - were amazed 2 Kings 22:17 - shall not be Job 8:13 - the hypocrite's Job 13:16 - for an hypocrite Job 15:34 - the congregation Job 27:8 - General Psalms 90:11 - General Isaiah 10:3 - And what Isaiah 10:17 - for a flame Isaiah 10:24 - be not afraid Isaiah 29:9 - and wonder Isaiah 32:11 - be troubled Jeremiah 4:30 - And when Jeremiah 5:31 - and what Hosea 10:14 - shall a Amos 6:1 - to them Amos 9:10 - the sinners Matthew 23:13 - woe Mark 9:44 - the fire Luke 12:1 - which Acts 5:13 - of 2 Corinthians 5:11 - the terror 2 Thessalonians 1:9 - be Hebrews 10:27 - a certain Hebrews 10:31 - a fearful Revelation 14:11 - smoke

Cross-References

Genesis 32:3
Jacob's brother Esau was living in the area called Seir in the hill country of Edom. Jacob sent messengers to Esau.

Genesis 33:2
Jacob put the maids with their children first. Then he put Leah and her children behind them, and he put Rachel and Joseph in the last place.

Genesis 33:3
Jacob himself went out before them. While he was walking toward his brother Esau, he bowed down to the ground seven times.

Genesis 33:19
He bought the field where he camped from the family of Hamor, father of Shechem. He paid 100 pieces of silver for it.

Deuteronomy 2:1
"Then we did what the Lord told me to do. We went back into the desert on the road that leads to the Red Sea. We traveled for many days to go around the mountains of Seir.

Judges 5:4
" Lord , in the past you came from Seir. You marched from the land of Edom. You marched and the earth shook. The skies rained. The clouds dropped water.

2 Chronicles 20:10
"But now, here are men from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir. You would not let the Israelites enter their lands when they came out of Egypt. So the Israelites turned away and didn't destroy them.

Isaiah 40:11
Like a good shepherd, he takes care of his people. He gathers them like lambs in his arms. He holds them close, while their mothers walk beside him.

Ezekiel 25:8
This is what the Lord God says: "Moab and Seir say, ‘The family of Judah is just like any other nation.'

Mark 4:33
Jesus used many stories like these to teach the people. He taught them all they could understand.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The sinners in Zion are afraid, and fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites,.... Meaning not persons of such a character that dwelt in Jerusalem, who had the guise and form of religion, and not the power of it, and were for fleeing to Egypt, and trusting in Pharaoh, and not in the Lord; who were seized with dread and terror, when the Assyrian army besieged them, or when it was so awfully destroyed by the angel in the night; when, observing the visible and immediate hand of God in it, they might fear the like judgment would fall upon them for their irreligion and hypocrisy; but rather formal professors, and hypocritical persons, in the reformed churches, or Protestants having only a form of godliness, without the power of it, are meant; who, observing God's judgments upon antichrist, shall be seized with a panic, lest the like should come down upon them for their hypocrisy and deceit; unless it should be rather thought that antichrist, and his followers themselves, are designed, who himself is said to sit in the temple of God, and who claim to themselves the name of the church of God, and pretend to be Christians, though they are not; when they shall see the city of Rome in flames, and the vials of God's wrath poured on the antichristian states, shall dread the vengeance of eternal fire, which they express in the following words:

Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? that is, the wrath of God in hell, which is the fire that feeds upon and devours Christless sinners; which shall never be quenched, and is called everlasting fire, in which the followers of antichrist will be tormented for ever; and the smoke of which will ascend for ever and ever, and will be intolerable; none will be able to abide and endure it; see Revelation 14:9. So the Targum interprets it of the place where the ungodly are to be judged and delivered into hell, an everlasting burning.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The sinners in Zion are afraid - This verse is evidently designed to describe the alarm that was produced in Jerusalem on impenitent sinners and hypocrites by a view of the judgment of God on the army of Sennacherib. They would see his wrath on his enemies then, and in view of the terrors of his indignation in relation to that army they would be alarmed, and would ask how it would be possible for them to endure such wrath forever. If the effect of the wrath of God even for a night, when it should blaze against that great army, was so terrible, how could it be borne forever? This seems to be the general idea of the passage. A great variety of interpretations have been proposed, which may be seen in Vitringa and Poole. The phrase, ‘sinners in Zion’ here refers to the wicked and rebellious in Jerusalem.

Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites - Those who professed to serve God, and yet who were secretly depending on the aid of Egypt (see Isaiah 31:1-9; compare the note at Isaiah 9:17). The sentiment here is, that those who professedly are the friends of God, but who are secretly and really his enemies, are often alarmed at his judgments. When the judgments of God overtake sinners, they are conscious that they deserve also his wrath, and their minds are filled with consternation. So in a time of prevailing sickness, or of pestilence, they who have really no confidence in God, and no evidence that they are prepared to die, are filled with alarm. A true friend of God will be calm in such scenes; a hypocrite will show by his consternation that he has no religion.

Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? - Some have understood this as referring to the fires which they supposed the Assyrian would kindle in Jerusalem, apprehending that he would take and burn the city. But the more probable interpretation is that which refers it to the judgment that would be brought upon the Assyrians - the burning wrath of God like fire that would consume them. The destruction of the Assyrians is repeatedly represented under the image of a storm and tempest, where there would be the ‘flame of devouring fire’ (see the note at Isaiah 29:6). The sense is this: ‘God has suddenly consumed that immense army of his foes. Such must be the awful punishment of the wicked. How can we abide it? We also, through among his people, are his foes, and are exposed to his wrath. How can we endure the terrors of that day when his burning indignation shall also overtake us?’

Shall dwell with everlasting burnings - Who among us could endure to suffer amid such burning wrath forever? If that wrath is so fierce as to consume such an immense host in a single night, who could abide it should it be continued forever and forever? This is the obvious sense of this passage; and it implies:

1. That hypocrites will be greatly alarmed when they see punishment come upon the open and avowed enemies of God.

2. That in such times they will have none of the peace and quiet confidence which his true friends have.

3. That such an alarm is evidence of conscious guilt and hypocrisy.

4. That the persons here spoken of had a belief of the doctrine of eternal punishment - a belief which hypocrites and sinners always have, else why should they be alarmed?

5. That the punishment of hypocrites in the church will be dreadful and terrific. This seems to have been the conviction here. They saw that if such judgments came upon those who had no knowledge of the true God, it must be infinitely more terrible on those who had been trained amidst the institutions of religion, and who had professed attachment to Yahweh. And so it will be in a preeminent degree among those who have been trained in the Christian church, and who have been the professed but insincere followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 33:14. The sinners in Zion are afraid — Zion has been generally considered as a type of the Church of God. Now all the members of God's Church should be holy, and given to good works; sinners in Zion, therefore, are portentous beings! but, alas! where are they not? The Targum on this verse is worthy of notice: "The sinners in Zion are broken down; fear hath seized the ungodly, who are suffering for their ways. They say, Who among us shall dwell in Zion, where the splendour of the Divine Majesty is like a consuming fire? Who of us shall dwell in Jerusalem, where the ungodly are judged and delivered into hell for an eternal burning?" Everdurynge brennyngis. Old MS. Bible.