Isaiah 61

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61The Spirit^e of the Sovereign Lord^f is on me,

because the Lord has anointed^g me

to proclaim good news^h to the poor.ⁱ

He has sent me to bind up^j the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom^k for the captives^l

and release from darkness for the prisoners,^a

²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor^m

and the day of vengeanceⁿ of our God,

to comfort^o all who mourn,^p

³and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown^q of beauty

instead of ashes,^r

the oil^s of joy

instead of mourning,^t

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting^u of the Lord

for the display of his splendor.^v

⁴They will rebuild the ancient ruins^w

and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations.

⁵Strangers^x will shepherd your flocks;

foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

⁶And you will be called priests^y of the Lord,

you will be named ministers of our God.

You will feed on the wealth^z of nations,

and in their riches you will boast.

⁷Instead of your shame^a

you will receive a double^b portion,

and instead of disgrace

you will rejoice in your inheritance.

And so you will inherit^c a double portion in your land,

and everlasting joy^d will be yours.

⁸“For I, the Lord, love justice;^e

I hate robbery and wrongdoing.

In my faithfulness I will reward my people

and make an everlasting covenant^f with them.

⁹Their descendants^g 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.”^h

¹⁰I delight greatly in the Lord;

my soul rejoicesⁱ in my God.

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,^j

as a bridegroom adorns his head^k like a priest,

and as a bride^l adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹For as the soil makes the sprout come up

and a garden^m causes seeds to grow,

so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousnessⁿ

and praise spring up before all nations.