I sat in a Bible study, struggling to focus. My doctor had just diagnosed me with type II diabetes. I felt discouraged and my faith seemed weak. Then our teacher asked, “Who has believed our report?”
At first, I thought I knew the answer. Of course, I believed! I had been a Christian for years. But as we explored Isaiah 53, I realized there’s a big difference between knowing Bible verses and truly believing God’s report about healing. That night, I found that the Hebrew words in the English translation revealed a truth. This changed how I saw divine healing forever.
The key question isn’t if God can heal. The real question is: do you believe His report about what Jesus already did for your healing?
Key Takeaways
- Divine healing is based on what Jesus achieved through His suffering.
- The Hebrew words in Isaiah 53 specifically refer to sickness and disease, not just emotional grief.
- Jesus bore our sicknesses so we don’t have to bear them.
- Faith comes from hearing and believing God’s report about healing.
- The cross proves God’s will for our healing—no further proof is needed.
Understanding the Foundation: Who Has Believed Our Report?
The prophet Isaiah starts this powerful chapter with a striking question:
“Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” – Isaiah 53:1 (KJV)
This isn’t just poetic language; it unlocks divine healing power.
The New Testament quotes this verse twice—in John 12:37-38 and Romans 10:16. In John, it ties directly to Jesus’ miracles. In Romans, it leads to the famous scripture:
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” – Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
Here’s what I learned: the arm of the Lord stands for God’s manifest power. When the Bible mentions God’s hand or finger, it shows His power in action. But the arm of the Lord? That’s the full display of His strength. Paul calls it “the exceeding greatness of his power” that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20).
The connection is clear: God’s healing power is revealed to those who believe His report.
The Hebrew Truth Behind “By His Stripes You Were Healed”
The Lost Translation
Most English Bibles translate Isaiah 53:4 as “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Here’s where it gets interesting. The Hebrew word translated “griefs” is “coli.” This same word appears as “sickness” or “disease” in other passages.
The word “sorrows” comes from the Hebrew “macabre,” meaning “pain.” This refers to physical pain, as seen in Job 33:19 (KJV):
“He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain.”
What Jesus Really Bore
When we understand the Hebrew, Isaiah 53:4 reads:
“Surely he has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains.”
This isn’t just my opinion. Trusted translations, like Young’s Literal Translation and the Jewish Publication Society version, say the same.
Even more convincing, Matthew 8:17 (KJV) confirms this:
“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
The same Spirit who inspired Isaiah also inspired Matthew. He knew exactly what He meant when He said Jesus bore our sicknesses.
By His Stripes You Were Healed: The Great Substitution
What the Cross Really Accomplished
Isaiah 53:5 (KJV) states:
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
This verse shows the great substitution. Jesus didn’t suffer for His sins—He had none. He suffered for ours. Every stripe He received was payment for our healing.
The logic is clear: if Jesus bore our sicknesses, we don’t have to bear them. If He carried our pains, we don’t have to carry them.
What would be the point of His suffering if we still had to endure what He already faced for us?
The Spiritual Reality
While onlookers saw Jesus scourged and crucified, they couldn’t see what occurred in the spiritual realm. Isaiah 53:10 (KJV) says:
“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.”
The word “grief” here means sickness or disease. Some translations say: “The Lord has made him sick” or “crushed him by disease.” This doesn’t imply Jesus was physically ill—He never was. Instead, He bore the spiritual cause of all sickness and disease.
How Faith Activates Healing: By His Stripes You Were Healed
The Power of Believing God’s Report
I’ve learned there’s a big difference between knowing healing scriptures and believing them. Many can quote “by his stripes we are healed,” but their lives show they don’t truly believe it.
Here’s a simple test: when you hear God’s promises about healing, how do you respond? Do you feel excited? Do you sense hope? Or do you think, “Yeah, I’ve heard that before”?
Jesus taught us to “take heed how you hear” (Luke 8:18). Your response to God’s Word affects the power you receive from it.
Practical Steps to Activate Faith
- Meditate on the truth: Repeatedly confess “Surely He has borne my sicknesses and carried my pains” until it moves from your head to your heart.
- Refuse to be a carrier: Jesus carried your sickness so you don’t have to. Don’t identify as a “carrier” of disease.
- Distinguish between symptoms and acceptance: You may have symptoms in your body, but you don’t have to accept them in your heart.
The King James Version and Modern Translations
The King James Version, while beautiful, sometimes obscures the Hebrew meaning in Isaiah 53. When we compare it with Matthew 8:17, the truth becomes clear.
Many modern translations note that “griefs” and “sorrows” can mean “sickness” and “pain.” Some scholars even avoid this translation because it supports divine healing theology.
But truth doesn’t change based on human preference. The Hebrew is clear: by His stripes you were healed of sickness and disease.
Living Free: You Were Healed by His Stripes
From Death to Life
1 Peter 2:24 (KJV) summarizes Christ’s work:
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Notice the past tense: “were healed.” This isn’t something that might happen. It’s something that already happened when Jesus died on the cross.
The Father’s Perspective
How could it “please the Lord to bruise him”? Only because God could see the joy beyond the suffering. He saw you and me walking in freedom. He saw countless people healed, delivered, and set free.
The same joy that sustained Jesus on the cross—”who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2)—is available to us as we embrace what He purchased.
Conclusion: Walking in the Reality of Healing
The question “Who has believed our report?” still resonates today. It’s not asking if you’ve heard about healing. It’s asking if you truly believe what Jesus accomplished through His suffering.
By His stripes you were healed. Not you might be healed. Not you could be healed. You were healed—past tense, finished work, settled in heaven.
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. The same love that drove Him to the cross is working on your behalf today. The question isn’t whether God can heal you. The question is: do you believe His report?
Your healing doesn’t rely on your performance, faith level, or worthiness. It depends entirely on what Jesus already accomplished. He bore your sickness so you don’t have to. He carried your pain so you can walk free.
When I learned this truth and applied it in my life, God healed me. I no longer take meds for diabetes, and I’ve been walking in this healing for over 5 years now.
Today, choose to believe the report. Choose to let the arm of the Lord be revealed in your life. Choose to walk in the reality that by His stripes, you were healed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What does “by his stripes you were healed” mean?
A. This phrase from Isaiah 53:5 refers to the physical beating Jesus endured before His crucifixion. The Hebrew words indicate He bore our sicknesses and carried our pains, meaning we don’t have to bear them ourselves.
Q. Is divine healing God’s will for everyone?
A. The cross answers this question. Jesus wouldn’t have suffered for our healing if it weren’t God’s will for us to be healed. The stripes He received prove God’s desire for our wholeness.
Q. Why do some people quote healing scriptures but remain sick?
A. Knowledge isn’t the same as faith. Many know healing verses but don’t truly believe them. Faith comes by hearing and believing God’s report, not just memorizing scripture.
Q. What’s the difference between Isaiah 53:4 in Hebrew and English?
A. The Hebrew words “coli” (griefs) and “macabre” (sorrows) specifically mean sickness and pain. The same words are translated as sickness and disease in other Bible passages.
Q. How do I activate healing faith?
A. Start by meditating on “Surely He has borne my sicknesses and carried my pains.” Confess this truth repeatedly until it becomes revelation in your heart. Refuse to accept what Jesus already bore for you.
