¹The Lord GOD ’s Spirit is on me ,

because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the humble .

He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted ,

to proclaim liberty to the captives

and release to those who are bound ,

²to proclaim the year of the LORD ’s favour

and the day of vengeance of our God ,

to comfort all who mourn,

³to provide for those who mourn in Zion ,

to give to them a garland for ashes,

the oil of joy for mourning,

the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness ,

that they may be called trees of righteousness ,

the planting of the LORD ,

that he may be glorified .

⁴They will rebuild the old ruins .

They will raise up the former devastated places .

They will repair the ruined cities

that have been devastated for many generations .

⁵Strangers will stand and feed your flocks .

Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.

⁶But you will be called the LORD ’s priests .

Men will call you the servants of our God .

You will eat the wealth of the nations .

You will boast in their glory .

⁷Instead of your shame you will have double .

Instead of dishonour , they will rejoice in their portion .

Therefore in their land they will possess double .

Everlasting joy will be to them .

⁸“For I , the LORD , love justice .

I hate robbery and iniquity.

I will give them their reward in truth

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them .

⁹Their offspring will be known amongst the nations ,

and their offspring amongst the peoples .

All who see them will acknowledge them ,

that they are the offspring which the LORD has blessed .”

¹⁰I will greatly rejoice in the LORD !

My soul will be joyful 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 with a garland

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels .

¹¹For as the earth produces its bud ,

and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up ,

so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations .