In this verse Yahweh describes himself as the God who forgives sins. Contemporary English Version and Bible en français courant begin with the contrastive conjunction “But” (similarly Good News Translation with “And yet”). This helps to show the contrast between this verse and the previous subsection. However, translators will have to determine whether such a conjunction is necessary if they place a stanza break here.

I, I am He: Once again he asserts that he alone is God. For I am He, see the comments on verse 10 and 41.4. As in verse 11, the most emphatic form of the pronoun I is repeated in Hebrew. Most versions repeat this pronoun in some form.

Who blots out your transgressions for my own sake means Yahweh forgives sins completely because of who he is (see Psa 51.1-3, 9). The Hebrew verb rendered blots out refers to the complete removal of something. Revised English Bible has “wipe out,” and Contemporary English Version says “wipe away.” Translators may also use the verb “forgive” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant) since what God removes here is sin. The Hebrew word rendered transgressions refers to deliberate or willful disobedience. New Jerusalem Bible suggests “acts of revolt” (similarly Bible en français courant). Good News Translation renders for my own sake as “because of who I am,” which is a helpful model.

And I will not remember your sins is parallel to the previous line. This line means God will not hold his people accountable for theirs sins. Many versions emend the Hebrew text here to read “and I will no longer remember your sins” (so New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers the Hebrew text, but translators may follow either reading. Good News Translation says “I will not hold your sins against you,” and Bible en français courant has “and no longer keep the memory of your faults.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• “I, yes I, am He who wipes away all record of your transgressions,
I will not hold your sins against you.
I do this because of who I am.

• “I, I am He. I erase all record of your rebellion because of who I am,
I will not keep your sins in remembrance.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .