Isaiah 61
1 The Lord GOD’s Spirit is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound,
The spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me, For Jehovah hath anointed me; He hath sent me to publish good tidings to the distressed, To bind up the broken-hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that 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,
To proclaim the year of mercy from Jehovah, And the day of vengeance from our God; To comfort all that mourn;
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
To give gladness to the mourners in Zion; To give them a beautiful crown instead of ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, So that they shall be called blessed terebinth-trees, The plantation of Jehovah for his glory.
4 They will rebuild the old ruins. They will raise up the former devastated places. They will repair the ruined cities that have been devastated for many generations.
They shall build up the old ruins; They shall raise up the ancient desolations; They shall repair the cities laid waste, The desolations of many generations.
5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks. Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.
Strangers shall stand up and feed your flocks, And the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen and vine-dressers;
6 But you will be called the LORD’s priests. Men will call you the servants of our God. You will eat the wealth of the nations. You will boast in their glory.
But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah, Men shall call you the ministers of our God. Ye shall eat the riches of the nations, And in their glory shall ye make your boast.
7 Instead of your shame you will have double. Instead of dishonor, they will rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they will possess double. Everlasting joy will be to them.
For your shame shall ye have a double reward; And for ignominy ye shall rejoice in your portion; Therefore in your land ye shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be your portion.
8 “For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and iniquity. I will give them their reward in truth and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate rapine and iniquity, I will give them their reward with faithfulness, And an everlasting covenant will I make with them.
9 Their offspring will be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the offspring which the LORD has blessed.”
Their race shall be illustrious among the nations, And their offspring among the people; All that see them shall acknowledge That they are a race which Jehovah hath blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD! My soul will be joyful 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 with a garland and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
“I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah; My soul shall exult in my God; For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the mantle of deliverance. As the bridegroom decketh himself with his turban, And as the bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
11 For as the earth produces its bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
For as the earth putteth forth her shoots, And as a garden causeth its plants to spring forth, So shall the Lord Jehovah cause salvation to spring forth; And praise before all the nations.
