The Father's Spirit Anoints Me
61 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Father is upon me, because our Father has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for those bound in darkness, a a v1 Jesus opened his public ministry by reading these very words in the Nazareth synagogue and saying, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:18-21). The Servant who speaks here is Jesus — anointed by the Spirit, sent by our Father. 2 to proclaim the year of our Father's favor and the day of our Father's vindication, to comfort all who mourn, 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion — to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair; so they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of our Father, that he may be glorified.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and raise up the places long devastated; they will restore the ruined cities, desolate for many generations. 5 Strangers will tend your flocks; foreigners will be your plowmen and vineyard workers. 6 But you will be called the priests of our Father; you will be named the ministers of our Father. You will feed on the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you will boast. 7 Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance; so you will possess a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 For I, your Father, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their children will be known among the nations and their descendants among the peoples; all who see them will acknowledge that they are the children our Father has blessed.
10 I will rejoice greatly in our Father; my soul will leap for joy in our Father. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and covered me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. b b v10 In ancient Israel, bridegrooms wore an ornamental headdress at their wedding, just as priests did in temple service. 11 For as the soil sends up its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown to spring up, so the Sovereign Father will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.