Book of Isaiah, Chapter 61

 Chapter 61

The Year of the Lord's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

    because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor; 

    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

    and the day of vengeance of our God;

    to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. 

4 They 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 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;

    foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;

6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;

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

you shall eat the wealth of the nations,

    and in their glory you shall boast.

7 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 For I the Lord love justice;

    I hate robbery and wrong; 

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

    and 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 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

    my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

    and 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 righteousness and praise

    to sprout up before all the nations.