1THE Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me and sent me to preach good tidings to the meek; to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to prisoners;

2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of the salvation of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

3To give to the mourners of Zion beauty instead of ashes, perfume instead of mourning, a cloak of beauty instead of the spirit of heaviness; they shall be called men of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, which is glorious.

4And they shall build the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

5And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

6But you shall be named the priests of the LORD; men shall call you the ministers of our God; you shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall you boast yourselves.

7Instead of your shame and your confusion, you shall have a double inheritance in their lands, and you shall rejoice in their portion; everlasting joy shall be yours.

8For I the LORD love justice, and I hate robbery and iniquity; I will direct your work in truth and I will make an everlasting covenant with you.

9Your offspring shall be known among the Gentiles, and your descendants among the nations; all who see you shall recognize you, that you are the offspring that the LORD has blessed.

10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD and my soul shall 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 in splendor and as a bride adorns herself with jewels.

11For as the earth brings forth its bud, and as the garden causes the seed which is sown in it to spring forth, so the LORD God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.