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The Lord’s Message of Freedom

61 The Lord God has put his Spirit in me.
    This is because he has appointed me to tell the good news to the poor.
    He has sent me to comfort those whose hearts are broken.
He has sent me to tell the captives they are free.
    He has sent me to tell the prisoners that they are released.
He has sent me to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness
    and the time when our God will punish evil people.
He has sent me to comfort all those who are sad.
He has sent me to the sorrowing people of Jerusalem.
    I will give them a crown to replace their ashes.
I will give them the oil of gladness to replace their sorrow.
    I will give them clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness.
Then they will be called Trees of Goodness.
    They will be like trees planted by the Lord and will show his greatness.

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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]
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)
    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)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind