Study Desk

The Spirit of the Lord God is on Me,^(a) because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor.^(b) He has sent Me to heal^[a] the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;^(c)

to proclaim the year of the Lord 's favor,^(d) and the day of our God's vengeance;^(e) to comfort^(f) all who mourn,

to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning,^(g) and splendid clothes instead of despair.^[b] And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord to glorify Him.^(h)

They will rebuild the ancient ruins;⁽ⁱ⁾ they will restore the former devastations; they will renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers.^(j)

But you will be called the Lord 's priests;^(k) they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will eat the wealth of the nations, and you will boast in their riches.

Because your shame was double,^(l) and they cried out, "Disgrace is their portion," therefore, they will possess double in their land,^(m) and eternal joy will be theirs.

For I Yahweh love justice;⁽ⁿ⁾ I hate robbery and injustice;^[c] I will faithfully reward them and make an everlasting covenant^(o) with them.

Their descendants will be known among the nations, and their posterity among the peoples. All who see them will recognize that they are a people the Lord has blessed.

I greatly rejoice in the Lord , I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness,^(p) as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.^(q)

For as the earth produces its growth, and as a garden enables what is sown to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.^(r)