Isaiah 61
New International Version

The Year of theLord’s Favor

61 The Spirit^(A)of the SovereignLord^(B)is on me,
    because theLordhas anointed^(C)me
    to proclaim good news^(D)to the poor.^(E)
He has sent me to bind up^(F)the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom^(G)for the captives^(H)
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
²to proclaim the year of theLord’s favor^(I)
    and the day of vengeance^(J)of our God,
to comfort^(K)all who mourn,^(L)
³    and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown^(M)of beauty
    instead of ashes,^(N)
the oil^(O)of joy
    instead of mourning,^(P)
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting^(Q)of theLord
    for the display of his splendor.^(R)

⁴They will rebuild the ancient ruins^(S)
    and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations.
⁵Strangers^(T)will shepherd your flocks;
    foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
⁶And you will be called priests^(U)of theLord,
    you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth^(V)of nations,
    and in their riches you will boast.

⁷Instead of your shame^(W)
    you will receive a double^(X)portion,
and instead of disgrace
    you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit^(Y)a double portion in your land,
    and everlasting joy^(Z)will be yours.

⁸“For I, theLord, love justice;^(AA)
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
    and make an everlasting covenant^(AB)with them.
⁹Their descendants^(AC)will be known among the nations
    and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
    that they are a people theLordhas blessed.”^(AD)

¹⁰I delight greatly in theLord;
    my soul rejoices^(AE)in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,^(AF)
as a bridegroom adorns his head^(AG)like a priest,
    and as a bride^(AH)adorns herself with her jewels.
¹¹For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden^(AI)causes seeds to grow,
so the SovereignLordwill make righteousness^(AJ)
    and praise spring up before all nations.