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)

They will rebuild the ancient ruins(S)
    and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind

Good News of Deliverance

61 “The Spirit of the Lord[a] is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed
    and[b] to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives,
    and release from darkness[c] for the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
    the[d] day of vengeance of our God;
        to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who grieve in Zion—
    to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    a mantle of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

“Then people will call them[e] “Oaks of Righteousness”,
    “The Planting of the Lord”,
        in order to display his splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins;
    they will restore the places long devastated;
they will build again the ruined cities,
    they will build again[f] the places devastated for many generations.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab LXX; 4QIsam MT read the Lord God
  2. Isaiah 61:1 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lacks and
  3. Isaiah 61:1 Or prison; or and opening of the eyes
  4. Isaiah 61:2 So 1QIsaa LXXms; 4QIsab MT LXX read and the
  5. Isaiah 61:3 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read they will be called
  6. Isaiah 61:4 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lacks again