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61 The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me,
    because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble.
He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted,
    to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and release to those who are bound,[a]
to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
    to comfort all who mourn,
to provide for those who mourn in Zion,
    to give to them a garland for ashes,
    the oil of joy for mourning,
    the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they may be called trees of righteousness,
    the planting of Yahweh,
    that he may be glorified.

They will rebuild the old ruins.
    They will raise up the former devastated places.
They will repair the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for many generations.
Strangers will stand and feed your flocks.
    Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.
But you will be called Yahweh’s priests.
    Men will call you the servants of our God.
You will eat the wealth of the nations.
    You will boast in their glory.
Instead of your shame you will have double.
    Instead of dishonor, they will rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they will possess double.
    Everlasting joy will be to them.
“For I, Yahweh, love justice.
    I hate robbery and iniquity.
I will give them their reward in truth
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their offspring will be known among the nations,
    and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge them,
    that they are the offspring which Yahweh has blessed.”

10 I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh!
    My soul will be joyful in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation.
    He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
    as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth produces its bud,
    and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up,
    so the Lord Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Footnotes

  1. 61:1 LXX and DSS add: recovery of sight to the blind

Good News for the Oppressed

61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
    for the Lord has anointed me
    to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
    and to proclaim that captives will be released
    and prisoners will be freed.[a]
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
    that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,[b]
    and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
To all who mourn in Israel,[c]
    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
    repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
    though they have been deserted for many generations.
Foreigners will be your servants.
    They will feed your flocks
and plow your fields
    and tend your vineyards.
You will be called priests of the Lord,
    ministers of our God.
You will feed on the treasures of the nations
    and boast in their riches.
Instead of shame and dishonor,
    you will enjoy a double share of honor.
You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land,
    and everlasting joy will be yours.

“For I, the Lord, love justice.
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
    and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants will be recognized
    and honored among the nations.
Everyone will realize that they are a people
    the Lord has blessed.”

10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
    For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
    and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
    or a bride with her jewels.
11 The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.
    Everyone will praise him!
His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,
    with plants springing up everywhere.

Footnotes

  1. 61:1 Greek version reads and the blind will see. Compare Luke 4:18.
  2. 61:2 Or to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
  3. 61:3 Hebrew in Zion.