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Journey of a Passage

Isaiah 44:6–8

"I am the first, and I am the last"

"Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." The Great Isaiah Scroll adds "his name" ("the LORD of hosts is his name"). In Revelation the title is used by God (1:8; 21:6) and by the risen Christ (1:17; 2:8; 22:13), a later application with large theological weight.

Manuscript variant: witnesses differ in wording

The family tree

Each row is a language or text tradition. Witnesses in the same row may share ancestry, revise one another, or have an uncertain relationship; the line under each box says which. A solid arrow appears only where direct copying or a documented revised edition is established. Order by date never implies copying. Scroll sideways on a phone.

✓ contains it · ✕ does not · ❝ quotes part of it · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
  • Uncertain connection
Hebrew
  1. The oracle as first spoken or written8th–6th century BC (by section; debated)
  2. Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), Qumran Cave 1c. 125 BC (palaeography; reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
  3. 4QIsa-c (4Q57), Qumran Cave 41st century AD (reported)Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
  4. Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)AD 1008Descends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written
Greek
  1. Greek Isaiah (library: Giguet's French)Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872Translated from the Old Greek Isaiah
Latin
  1. Latin Vulgate (Clementine)Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592Translated from the Hebrew text Jerome used
English
  1. King James Bible1611Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew
New Testament quotation
  1. Revelation 22:13 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)1st century AD; edition 2010sUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)
  2. Revelation 1:17 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)1st century AD; edition 2010sUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

Every witness, in order

  1. 8th–6th century BC (by section; debated)

    The oracle as first spoken or written

    – No copy survives

    No original survives. The oldest copies of Isaiah are the Qumran scrolls: the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a, about 125 BC, nearly complete), 1QIsa-b (1Q8) and some twenty other fragmentary manuscripts.

  2. c. 125 BC (palaeography; reported)

    Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa-a), Qumran Cave 1

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 44:6–8. Adds "his name" ("the LORD of hosts is his name") and spells "first" without the alef. Otherwise the differences are of spelling (fuller use of vowel letters) and small grammatical forms.

  3. 1st century AD (reported)

    4QIsa-c (4Q57), Qumran Cave 4

    ◐ Contains part of itDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Described from a published transcription of the manuscript. Described in the site's own words from Martin Abegg's transcription (ETCBC/CACCHT Dead Sea Scrolls dataset v2.0.5); the transcription itself is not reproduced. Photographs and DJD XXXII not yet checked.

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 44:6–8. A fragmentary copy: only parts of these verses survive, and in the transcription much of the passage is restored by the editors. What survives agrees with the Masoretic Text; "God" is spelled fully.

  4. 1st century AD; edition 2010s

    Revelation 22:13 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)

    ✓ Contains this passageUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).

    Ἐγὼ τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ, ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος.

    I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end

    Words of the risen Christ in John's vision (22:12–16). KJV: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."

  5. 1st century AD; edition 2010s

    Revelation 1:17 (Greek New Testament; library: Statistical Restoration text)

    ✓ Contains this passageUncertain relationship to the verse (which wording it followed is the question)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).

    ¶Καὶ ὅτε εἶδον αὐτόν, ἔπεσα πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, ὡς νεκρός. Καὶ ἔθηκεν τὴν δεξιὰν αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ἐμὲ λέγων, “Μὴ φοβοῦ· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος,

    Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last

    The risen Christ to John (1:17). KJV: "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:"

  6. Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592

    Latin Vulgate (Clementine)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Hebrew text Jerome used

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

    Hæc dicit Dominus, rex Israël, et redemptor ejus, Dominus exercituum: Ego primus, et ego novissimus, et absque me non est deus. Quis similis mei? vocet, et annuntiet: et ordinem exponat mihi, ex quo constitui populum antiquum; ventura et quæ futura sunt annuntient eis. Nolite timere, neque conturbemini: ex tunc audire te feci, et annuntiavi; vos estis testes mei. Numquid est Deus absque me, et formator quem ego non noverim?

    Latin numbering: Isaiah 44:6–8. Jerome translated Isaiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).

  7. AD 1008

    Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from The oracle as first spoken or written

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

    כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְגֹאֲל֖וֹ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת אֲנִ֤י רִאשׁוֹן֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲר֔וֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַ֖י אֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִֽים׃ וּמִֽי־כָמ֣וֹנִי יִקְרָ֗א וְיַגִּידֶ֤הָ וְיַעְרְכֶ֙הָ֙ לִ֔י מִשּׂוּמִ֖י עַם־עוֹלָ֑ם וְאֹתִיּ֛וֹת וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּבֹ֖אנָה יַגִּ֥ידוּ לָֽמוֹ׃ אַֽל־תִּפְחֲדוּ֙ וְאַל־תִּרְה֔וּ הֲלֹ֥א מֵאָ֛ז הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֥יךָ וְהִגַּ֖דְתִּי וְאַתֶּ֣ם עֵדָ֑י הֲיֵ֤שׁ אֱל֙וֹהַּ֙ מִבַּלְעָדַ֔י וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר בַּל־יָדָֽעְתִּי׃

    Thus says the LORD, King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God (v. 6)

    Hebrew numbering: Isaiah 44:6–8.

  8. 1611

    King James Bible

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

    Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

  9. Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

    Greek Isaiah (library: Giguet's French)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Old Greek Isaiah

    How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

    Voici ce que dit le Dieu, roi d’Israël, le Dieu des armées, rédempteur de Jacob: Je suis le premier, et je suis le dernier; hormis moi, il n’est point de Dieu. Qui est semblable à moi? Que celui-là se présente; qu’il rappelle, proclame et m’explique ce que j’ai fait pour l’homme depuis le commencement des siècles; qu’ils vous fassent connaître d’avance les choses de l’avenir. Ne dissimulez pas, ne divaguez point, dès le commencement n’avez-vous pas ouï cela de vos oreilles? Ne vous l’ai-je pas déclaré? Vous êtes mes témoins; hormis moi, il n’est point de Dieu.

    Greek (digital file) numbering: Isaiah 44:6–8. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only); a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Isaiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.

What changed, and why

Classification: a small plus in 1QIsa-a; later use in Revelation.

"First and last" also in 41:4 and 48:12.

"Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no Rock (tsur); I know not any" (v. 8).

What the evidence shows

  • Independently documented1QIsa-a adds "his name" in 44:6. Described from a transcription.
  • Independently documentedRevelation 22:13 applies "the first and the last" to Christ.

Sources

    Related lessons

    • Isaiah 44: I Am the First and the Last →God will pour water on the thirsty and his Spirit on Jacob's offspring; people will write "The LORD's" on their hands (44:1–5). "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God… ye are even my witnesses" (vv. 6–8). A satire: the blacksmith grows faint making a god; the carpenter cuts a cedar, burns half to bake bread and warm himself, and bows down to the rest: "Deliver me; for thou art my god" (vv. 9–20). "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions": heavens and mountains sing (vv. 21–23). The God who made all things says of Jerusalem, "Thou shalt be inhabited," and of Cyrus, "He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure… to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid" (vv. 24–28).
    • Investigation: Jesus and Isaiah →Isaiah is quoted in the Gospels more than any other prophet. This study registers 55 uses that involve Jesus: 20 in Matthew, 14 in Mark, 12 in Luke and 9 in John. For each it records who speaks (Jesus as the Gospel reports him, the narrator, John the Baptist, a heavenly voice, Simeon, or a later scribe), the Isaiah passage and its original setting, the Gospel's Greek wording, whether the use is an explicit quotation, a quotation without formula, an allusion, a proposed allusion, or a later Christian connection, and how that Gospel uses it. Each Gospel is kept separate.