Isaiah 61

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 will build up the ancient ruins;
they will raise up the former devastations;
they will repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.

⁵ Strangers will stand and tend your flocks;
foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers;

⁶ but you will be called the priests of the LORD;
they will speak of you as the ministers of our God;
you will eat the wealth of the nations,
and in their glory you will boast.

⁷ Instead of your shame you will have a double portion;
instead of dishonor you will rejoice in your lot;
therefore in your land you will possess a double portion;
yours will be 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 will be known among the nations,
and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them will acknowledge them,
that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.

¹⁰ I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
my soul will 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 its seeds to sprout up,
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.