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Isaiah 61-63
New Living Translation
Isaiah 61-63
New Living Translation
Good News for the Oppressed
61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.[a]
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,[b]
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
3 To all who mourn in Israel,[c]
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
though they have been deserted for many generations.
5 Foreigners will be your servants.
They will feed your flocks
and plow your fields
and tend your vineyards.
6 You will be called priests of the Lord,
ministers of our God.
You will feed on the treasures of the nations
and boast in their riches.
7 Instead of shame and dishonor,
you will enjoy a double share of honor.
You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 “For I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be recognized
and honored among the nations.
Everyone will realize that they are a people
the Lord has blessed.”
10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
or a bride with her jewels.
11 The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.
Everyone will praise him!
His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,
with plants springing up everywhere.
Isaiah’s Prayer for Jerusalem
62 Because I love Zion,
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem,
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
2 The nations will see your righteousness.
World leaders will be blinded by your glory.
And you will be given a new name
by the Lord’s own mouth.
3 The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—
a splendid crown in the hand of God.
4 Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City”[d]
or “The Desolate Land.”[e]
Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”[f]
and “The Bride of God,”[g]
for the Lord delights in you
and will claim you as his bride.
5 Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem,
just as a young man commits himself to his bride.
Then God will rejoice over you
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
6 O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn to Jerusalem by his own strength:
“I will never again hand you over to your enemies.
Never again will foreign warriors come
and take away your grain and new wine.
9 You raised the grain, and you will eat it,
praising the Lord.
Within the courtyards of the Temple,
you yourselves will drink the wine you have pressed.”
10 Go out through the gates!
Prepare the highway for my people to return!
Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;
raise a flag for all the nations to see.
11 The Lord has sent this message to every land:
“Tell the people of Israel,[h]
‘Look, your Savior is coming.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”
12 They will be called “The Holy People”
and “The People Redeemed by the Lord.”
And Jerusalem will be known as “The Desirable Place”
and “The City No Longer Forsaken.”
Judgment against the Lord’s Enemies
63 Who is this who comes from Edom,
from the city of Bozrah,
with his clothing stained red?
Who is this in royal robes,
marching in his great strength?
“It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation!
It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!”
2 Why are your clothes so red,
as if you have been treading out grapes?
3 “I have been treading the winepress alone;
no one was there to help me.
In my anger I have trampled my enemies
as if they were grapes.
In my fury I have trampled my foes.
Their blood has stained my clothes.
4 For the time has come for me to avenge my people,
to ransom them from their oppressors.
5 I was amazed to see that no one intervened
to help the oppressed.
So I myself stepped in to save them with my strong arm,
and my wrath sustained me.
6 I crushed the nations in my anger
and made them stagger and fall to the ground,
spilling their blood upon the earth.”
Praise for Deliverance
7 I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love.
I will praise the Lord for all he has done.
I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel,
which he has granted according to his mercy and love.
8 He said, “They are my very own people.
Surely they will not betray me again.”
And he became their Savior.
9 In all their suffering he also suffered,
and he personally[i] rescued them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them.
He lifted them up and carried them
through all the years.
10 But they rebelled against him
and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he became their enemy
and fought against them.
11 Then they remembered those days of old
when Moses led his people out of Egypt.
They cried out, “Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea,
with Moses as their shepherd?
Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit
to be among his people?
12 Where is the one whose power was displayed
when Moses lifted up his hand—
the one who divided the sea before them,
making himself famous forever?
13 Where is the one who led them through the bottom of the sea?
They were like fine stallions
racing through the desert, never stumbling.
14 As with cattle going down into a peaceful valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
You led your people, Lord,
and gained a magnificent reputation.”
Prayer for Mercy and Pardon
15 Lord, look down from heaven;
look from your holy, glorious home, and see us.
Where is the passion and the might
you used to show on our behalf?
Where are your mercy and compassion now?
16 Surely you are still our Father!
Even if Abraham and Jacob[j] would disown us,
Lord, you would still be our Father.
You are our Redeemer from ages past.
17 Lord, why have you allowed us to turn from your path?
Why have you given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear you?
Return and help us, for we are your servants,
the tribes that are your special possession.
18 How briefly your holy people possessed your holy place,
and now our enemies have destroyed it.
19 Sometimes it seems as though we never belonged to you,
as though we had never been known as your people.
Footnotes
- 61:1 Greek version reads and the blind will see. Compare Luke 4:18.
- 61:2 Or to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
- 61:3 Hebrew in Zion.
- 62:4a Hebrew Azubah, which means “forsaken.”
- 62:4b Hebrew Shemamah, which means “desolate.”
- 62:4c Hebrew Hephzibah, which means “my delight is in her.”
- 62:4d Hebrew Beulah, which means “married.”
- 62:11 Hebrew Tell the daughter of Zion.
- 63:9 Hebrew and the angel of his presence.
- 63:16 Hebrew Israel. See note on 14:1.
Isaiah 61-63
New International Version
Isaiah 61-63
New International Version
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirit(A) of the Sovereign Lord(B) is on me,
because the Lord has 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]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’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 the Lord
for the display of his splendor.(R)
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins(S)
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangers(T) will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priests(U) of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth(V) of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead 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, the Lord, love justice;(AA)
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant(AB) with them.
9 Their 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 the Lord has blessed.”(AD)
10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
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.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden(AI) causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness(AJ)
and praise spring up before all nations.
Zion’s New Name
62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,(AK)
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication(AL) shines out like the dawn,(AM)
her salvation(AN) like a blazing torch.
2 The nations(AO) will see your vindication,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name(AP)
that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
3 You will be a crown(AQ) of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,(AR)
or name your land Desolate.(AS)
But you will be called Hephzibah,[b](AT)
and your land Beulah[c];
for the Lord will take delight(AU) in you,
and your land will be married.(AV)
5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom(AW) rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice(AX) over you.
6 I have posted watchmen(AY) on your walls, Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
give yourselves no rest,(AZ)
7 and give him no rest(BA) till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise(BB) of the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn(BC) by his right hand
and by his mighty arm:
“Never again will I give your grain(BD)
as food for your enemies,
and never again will foreigners drink the new wine
for which you have toiled;
9 but those who harvest it will eat(BE) it
and praise the Lord,(BF)
and those who gather the grapes will drink it
in the courts of my sanctuary.”(BG)
10 Pass through, pass through the gates!(BH)
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!(BI)
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner(BJ) for the nations.
11 The Lord has made proclamation
to the ends of the earth:(BK)
“Say to Daughter Zion,(BL)
‘See, your Savior comes!(BM)
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.’”(BN)
12 They will be called(BO) the Holy People,(BP)
the Redeemed(BQ) of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
the City No Longer Deserted.(BR)
God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption
63 Who is this coming from Edom,(BS)
from Bozrah,(BT) with his garments stained crimson?(BU)
Who is this, robed in splendor,
striding forward in the greatness of his strength?(BV)
“It is I, proclaiming victory,
mighty to save.”(BW)
2 Why are your garments red,
like those of one treading the winepress?(BX)
3 “I have trodden the winepress(BY) alone;
from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled(BZ) them in my anger
and trod them down in my wrath;(CA)
their blood spattered my garments,(CB)
and I stained all my clothing.
4 It was for me the day of vengeance;(CC)
the year for me to redeem had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one(CD) to help,
I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm(CE) achieved salvation for me,
and my own wrath sustained me.(CF)
6 I trampled(CG) the nations in my anger;
in my wrath I made them drunk(CH)
and poured their blood(CI) on the ground.”
Praise and Prayer
7 I will tell of the kindnesses(CJ) of the Lord,
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the Lord has done for us—
yes, the many good things(CK)
he has done for Israel,
according to his compassion(CL) and many kindnesses.
8 He said, “Surely they are my people,(CM)
children who will be true to me”;
and so he became their Savior.(CN)
9 In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel(CO) of his presence(CP) saved them.[d]
In his love and mercy he redeemed(CQ) them;
he lifted them up and carried(CR) them
all the days of old.(CS)
10 Yet they rebelled(CT)
and grieved his Holy Spirit.(CU)
So he turned and became their enemy(CV)
and he himself fought(CW) against them.
11 Then his people recalled[e] the days of old,
the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,(CX)
with the shepherd of his flock?(CY)
Where is he who set
his Holy Spirit(CZ) among them,
12 who sent his glorious arm(DA) of power
to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters(DB) before them,
to gain for himself everlasting renown,(DC)
13 who led(DD) them through the depths?(DE)
Like a horse in open country,
they did not stumble;(DF)
14 like cattle that go down to the plain,
they were given rest(DG) by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is how you guided your people
to make for yourself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven(DH) and see,
from your lofty throne,(DI) holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal(DJ) and your might?
Your tenderness and compassion(DK) are withheld(DL) from us.
16 But you are our Father,(DM)
though Abraham does not know us
or Israel acknowledge(DN) us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer(DO) from of old is your name.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander(DP) from your ways
and harden our hearts(DQ) so we do not revere(DR) you?
Return(DS) for the sake of your servants,
the tribes that are your inheritance.(DT)
18 For a little while(DU) your people possessed your holy place,
but now our enemies have trampled(DV) down your sanctuary.(DW)
19 We are yours from of old;
but you have not ruled over them,
they have not been called[f] by your name.(DX)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind
- Isaiah 62:4 Hephzibah means my delight is in her.
- Isaiah 62:4 Beulah means married.
- Isaiah 63:9 Or Savior 9 in their distress. / It was no envoy or angel / but his own presence that saved them
- Isaiah 63:11 Or But may he recall
- Isaiah 63:19 Or We are like those you have never ruled, / like those never called
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.