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]
2 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)
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)
4 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.
5 Strangers(T) will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And 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.
7 Instead 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.
9 Their 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)
10 I 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.
11 For 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.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind
Cross references
- Isaiah 61:1 : S Isa 11:2; 2Co 3:17
- Isaiah 61:1 : S Isa 50:4
- Isaiah 61:1 : S Ps 45:7; S Da 9:24-26; S Ac 4:26
- Isaiah 61:1 : S 2Sa 18:26; S Isa 40:9
- Isaiah 61:1 : S Job 5:16; S Mt 11:5; Lk 7:22
- Isaiah 61:1 : S 2Ki 22:19; S Job 5:18
- Isaiah 61:1 : S Lev 25:10
- Isaiah 61:1 : S Ps 68:6; S Isa 49:9
- Isaiah 61:2 : S Isa 49:8; S Lk 4:18-19*
- Isaiah 61:2 : S Isa 1:24
- Isaiah 61:2 : S Isa 40:1; Mt 5:4
- Isaiah 61:2 : S Job 5:11; Lk 6:21
- Isaiah 61:3 : S Isa 3:23
- Isaiah 61:3 : S Job 2:8
- Isaiah 61:3 : S Ru 3:3; S Isa 1:6; Heb 1:9
- Isaiah 61:3 : Jer 31:13; Mt 5:4
- Isaiah 61:3 : Ps 1:3; 92:12-13; Mt 15:13; 1Co 3:9
- Isaiah 61:3 : S Isa 44:23
- Isaiah 61:4 : S Isa 44:26; 51:3; 65:21; Eze 36:33; Am 9:14; Zec 1:16-17
- Isaiah 61:5 : S Isa 14:1-2; S 56:6
- Isaiah 61:6 : S Ex 19:6; 1Pe 2:5
- Isaiah 61:6 : Dt 33:19; S Isa 60:11
- Isaiah 61:7 : S Isa 29:22; S 41:11
- Isaiah 61:7 : S Dt 21:17; S Isa 40:2
- Isaiah 61:7 : S Isa 60:21
- Isaiah 61:7 : S Ps 126:5; S Isa 25:9
- Isaiah 61:8 : S Ps 11:7; S Isa 1:17; S 5:16
- Isaiah 61:8 : S Ge 9:16; S Isa 42:6; S Heb 13:20
- Isaiah 61:9 : S Isa 43:5; S 48:19
- Isaiah 61:9 : S Ge 12:2; S Dt 28:3-12
- Isaiah 61:10 : S Ps 2:11; S Isa 7:13; S 25:9; Hab 3:18; S Lk 1:47
- Isaiah 61:10 : S Job 27:6; S Ps 132:9; S Isa 52:1; Rev 19:8
- Isaiah 61:10 : S Ex 39:28
- Isaiah 61:10 : S Isa 49:18; Rev 21:2
- Isaiah 61:11 : S Ge 47:23; Isa 58:11
- Isaiah 61:11 : S Isa 45:8