Isaiah 61

New International Version

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61 The Spirit^(A) of the Sovereign Lord^(B) is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed^(C) me
    to proclaim good news^(D) to the poor.^(E)
He has sent me to bind up^(F) the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom^(G) for the captives^(H)
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor^(I)
    and the day of vengeance^(J) of our God,
to comfort^(K) all who mourn,^(L)
³    and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown^(M) of beauty
    instead of ashes,^(N)
the oil^(O) of joy
    instead of mourning,^(P)
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting^(Q) of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.^(R)

⁴They will rebuild the ancient ruins^(S)
    and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations.
⁵Strangers^(T) will shepherd your flocks;
    foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
⁶And you will be called priests^(U) of the Lord,
    you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth^(V) of nations,
    and in their riches you will boast.

⁷Instead of your shame^(W)
    you will receive a double^(X) portion,
and instead of disgrace
    you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit^(Y) a double portion in your land,
    and everlasting joy^(Z) will be yours.

⁸“For I, the Lord, love justice;^(AA)
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
    and make an everlasting covenant^(AB) with them.
⁹Their descendants^(AC) will be known among the nations
    and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
    that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”^(AD)

¹⁰I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices^(AE) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,^(AF)
as a bridegroom adorns his head^(AG) like a priest,
    and as a bride^(AH) adorns herself with her jewels.
¹¹For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden^(AI) causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness^(AJ)
    and praise spring up before all nations.

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Footnotes

Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind

Luke 2:1-14

New International Version

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus^(A) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.^(B) ²(This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)^(C) ³And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem^(D) the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him^(E) and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel^(F) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^(G) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior^(H) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,^(I) the Lord.^(J) ¹²This will be a sign^(K) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”