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20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,
    to set free those who were doomed to die,(A)

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20 to hear the groans of the prisoners(A)
    and release those condemned to death.”

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11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die.(A)

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11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.

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    who executes justice for the oppressed;
    who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;(A)

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He upholds(A) the cause of the oppressed(B)
    and gives food to the hungry.(C)
The Lord sets prisoners free,(D)

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The Coming Ruler of God’s People

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
    Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you;
    triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(A)
10 He[a] will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
    and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
    and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea
    and from the River to the ends of the earth.(B)

11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
    I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.(C)
12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
    today I declare that I will restore to you double.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.10 Gk: Heb I

The Coming of Zion’s King

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!(A)
    Shout,(B) Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,(C)
    righteous and victorious,(D)
lowly and riding on a donkey,(E)
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.(F)
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
    and the battle bow will be broken.(G)
He will proclaim peace(H) to the nations.
    His rule will extend from sea to sea
    and from the River[a] to the ends of the earth.(I)
11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant(J) with you,
    I will free your prisoners(K) from the waterless pit.(L)
12 Return to your fortress,(M) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice(N) as much to you.

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates

The Good News of Deliverance

61 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me
    because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
    to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and release to the prisoners,(A)
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
    to comfort all who mourn,(B)
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.(C)

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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]
to 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)
    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)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings,(A)

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The Lord said, “I have indeed seen(A) the misery(B) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned(C) about their suffering.(D)

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in which you once walked, following the course of this world,[a] following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.[b](A) All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else,(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.2 Gk according to the aeon
  2. 2.2 Gk sons of disobedience

in which you used to live(A) when you followed the ways of this world(B) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(C) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(D) All of us also lived among them at one time,(E) gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a](F) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

17 who made the world like a desert
    and overthrew its cities,
    who would not let his prisoners go home?”(A)

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17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(A)
    who overthrew(B) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”(C)

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11 Therefore the Lord brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh captive in manacles, bound him with fetters, and brought him to Babylon.(A) 12 While he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.(B) 13 He prayed to him, and God received his entreaty, heard his plea, and restored him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord indeed was God.(C)

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11 So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner,(A) put a hook(B) in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles(C) and took him to Babylon. 12 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled(D) himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13 And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

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Israel Recaptures Cities from Aram

22 Now King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.(A) 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them; he turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and would not destroy them, nor has he banished them from his presence until now.(B)

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22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed(A) Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant(B) with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy(C) them or banish them from his presence.(D)

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Peter Delivered from Prison

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.(A) Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.(B) The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” Peter[a] went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.(C) 10 After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him.(D) 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.9 Gk He

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,(A) and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel(B) of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.(C)

Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.(D) 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself,(E) and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11 Then Peter came to himself(F) and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me(G) from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

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But Jehoahaz entreated the Lord, and the Lord heeded him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.(A)

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Then Jehoahaz sought(A) the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw(B) how severely the king of Aram was oppressing(C) Israel.

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23 After a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out. Their cry for help rose up to God from their slavery.(A) 24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.(B) 25 God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them.(C)

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23 During that long period,(A) the king of Egypt died.(B) The Israelites groaned in their slavery(C) and cried out, and their cry(D) for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered(E) his covenant(F) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned(G) about them.

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