Isaiah 61

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

1 *ch. 11:2;42:1;48:16;Cited Luke 4:18,19The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has *Ps. 45:7anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;*61:1 Or afflicted

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and *ch. 45:13;Ps. 146:7the opening of the prison to those who are bound;*61:1 Or the opening [of the eyes] to those who are blind; Septuagint and recovery of sight to the blind

2 *[Lev. 25:10] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,

*ch. 34:8and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

*ver. 10;[ch. 28:5] to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

*Ps. 45:7;Heb. 1:9the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

*[ch. 60:21] that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, *John 15:8that he may be glorified.*61:3 Or that he may display his beauty

4 *Amos 9:14;See ch. 58:12They shall build up the ancient ruins;

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

the devastations of many generations.

5 *ch. 14:2;[ch. 60:10]Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;

foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;

6 *Ex. 19:6;1 Pet. 2:9;[Joel 1:9] but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;

they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;

*ch. 60:5,11,16you shall eat the wealth of the nations,

and in their glory you shall boast.

7 *ch. 40:2;[ch. 54:7,8;Zech. 9:12]Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;

instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;

therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;

they shall have everlasting joy.

8 *Ps. 11:7;[ch. 59:15] For I the Lord love justice;

I hate robbery and wrong;*61:8 Or robbery with a burnt offering

*ch. 40:10;49:4I will faithfully give them their recompense,

*See ch. 55:3and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge them,

that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

10 *Hab. 3:18I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

my soul shall exult in my God,

*[ch. 59:17;Zech. 3:4] for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself *ver. 3like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

*ch. 49:18;Rev. 21:2and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,

so the Lord God will cause *[ch. 60:18;62:7]righteousness and praise

to sprout up before all the nations.