Chapter 61

Exaltation of the Afflicted

1 The aSpirit of the Lord 1God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed me

To bbring good news to the 2cafflicted;

He has sent me to dbind up the brokenhearted,

To eproclaim liberty to captives

And 3freedom to prisoners;

2 To aproclaim the favorable year of the Lord

And the bday of vengeance of our God;

To ccomfort all who mourn,

3 To agrant those who mourn in Zion,

Giving them a garland instead of ashes,

The boil of gladness instead of mourning,

The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.

So they will be called 1coaks of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

4 Then they will arebuild the ancient ruins,

They will raise up the former devastations;

And they will repair the ruined cities,

The desolations of many generations.

5 aStrangers will stand and pasture your flocks,

And 1foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

6 But you will be called the apriests of the Lord;

You will be spoken of as bministers of our God.

You will eat the cwealth of nations,

And in their 1riches you will boast.

7 Instead of your ashame you will have a bdouble portion,

And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.

Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,

cEverlasting joy will be theirs.

8 For I, the Lord, alove justice,

I hate robbery 1in the burnt offering;

And I will faithfully give them their recompense

And make an beverlasting covenant with them.

9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations,

And their descendants in the midst of the peoples.

All who see them will recognize them

Because they are the aoffspring whom the Lord has blessed.

10 I will arejoice greatly in the Lord,

My soul will exult in bmy God;

For He has cclothed me with garments of salvation,

He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,

As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

And das a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the aearth brings forth its sprouts,

And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,

So the Lord 1God will bcause crighteousness and praise

To spring up before all the nations.