Isaiah 61-63

New Life Version

The Good News

61 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has chosen me to bring good news to poor people. He has sent me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent me to tell those who are being held and those in prison that they can go free. ² He has sent me to tell about the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day our God will bring punishment. He has sent me to comfort all who are filled with sorrow. ³ To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored.

⁴ They will build the cities again that were destroyed long ago. They will raise up what had been torn down, and will build the cities that were destroyed, and have lain waste through the years of many families and their children’s children. ⁵ Strangers will stand and feed your flocks. Men from other lands will be your farmers and care for your vines. ⁶ But you will be called the religious leaders of the Lord. Men will speak of you as servants of our God. You will eat the riches of the nations, and in their riches you will speak with pride. ⁷ Instead of your shame you will have a share that is twice as much. Instead of being without honor, they will sing for joy over all you receive. So they will have twice as much in their land, and joy that lasts forever will be theirs. ⁸ For I, the Lord, love what is right and fair. I hate stealing and what is wrong. I will be faithful to pay them what they should have. And I will make an agreement with them that will last forever. ⁹ Their children will be known among the nations. Their children’s children will be known among the people. All who see them will know them, because they are the people to whom the Lord has brought honor.

¹⁰ I will have much joy in the Lord. My soul will have joy in my God, for He has clothed me with the clothes of His saving power. He has put around me a coat of what is right and good, as a man at his own wedding wears something special on his head, and as a bride makes herself beautiful with stones of great worth. ¹¹ As the earth lets its new plants grow, and as a garden causes the things planted in it to grow, in the same way, the Lord God will cause what is right and good and words of praise to grow up in front of all the nations.

Something New for Zion

62 Because of Zion I will not keep quiet. Because of Jerusalem I will not rest, until her being right with God shines like a bright light, and her being saved shines like fire. ² The nations will see that you are right and good. All kings will see your shining-greatness. And you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will give. ³ You will be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, a king’s crown in the hand of your God. ⁴ You will no longer be called “Left Alone.” Your land will no longer be called “Forgotten.” But you will be called “My joy is in her,” and your land “Married.” For the Lord finds joy in you, and to Him your land will be married. ⁵ For as a young man marries a young woman who has never had a man, your sons will marry you. And as the man to be married finds joy in his bride, so your God will find joy in you.

⁶ On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have put men to keep watch. All day and all night they will never be quiet. You who help the Lord remember, do not rest. ⁷ And give Him no rest until He builds Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. ⁸ The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm, “I will never again give your grain to be food for those who hate you. And strangers will never again drink your new wine that you have worked hard to make. ⁹ But those who have worked on it will eat it and praise the Lord. And those who gather it will drink it in the open spaces inside My holy house.”

¹⁰ Go through, go through the gates. Open the way for the people. Build up, build up the road. Take away the stones, and raise the flag over the people. ¹¹ See, the Lord has made it known to the end of the earth: Say to the people of Zion, “Look, the One Who saves you is coming! See, He is bringing His reward that He will give.” ¹² And they will call them “The holy people, the people who have been saved and set free by the Lord.” And you will be called “A city looked for, a city that God has not forgotten.”

The Lord Wins over the Nations

63 Who is this Who comes from Edom, with dark red clothing from Bozrah? Who is this One Who is beautiful in His clothing, walking in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, Who speaks what is right and good, powerful to save.” ² Why is Your clothing red? Why is Your clothing like his who crushes the grapes? ³ “I have crushed the grapes alone. From the people there was no man with Me. I crushed them in My anger. I was angry as I stepped on them. And their life blood is on My clothing, and all My clothing is red. ⁴ For the day of punishment was in My heart. And My year to save My people and make them free has come. ⁵ I looked, and there was no one to help. I wondered that there was no one to help. So My own arm brought saving power to Me, and My anger helped Me. ⁶ I crushed the nations in My anger and I made them drunk in My anger. I poured out their life blood on the earth.”

Israel Remembers God’s Loving-Kindness

⁷ I will tell of the loving-kindness of the Lord, and praise Him for all He has done. I will tell of all the Lord has given us, the great goodness He has shown to the family of Israel and given to them because of His loving-pity and His great loving-kindness. ⁸ For He said, “For sure they are My people, sons who will not be false to Me.” So He saved them from the punishment of sin. ⁹ He suffered with them in all their troubles, and the angel of the Lord saved them. In His loving-kindness He paid the price and made them free. He lifted them up and carried them all the days of long ago. ¹⁰ But they turned against Him and made His Holy Spirit have sorrow. So He turned Himself and hated them, and fought against them. ¹¹ Then His people remembered the days long ago, the days of Moses. Where is He Who brought them through the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He Who put His Holy Spirit among them? ¹² Where is He Who caused His great arm to be at the right hand of Moses? Where is He Who divided the waters in front of them to make for Himself a name that lasts forever. ¹³ Who led them through the sea? Like a horse in the desert, they did not lose their step. ¹⁴ Like cattle that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. So You led Your people, to make for Yourself a great and honored name.

A Prayer for Help

¹⁵ Look down from heaven, and see from Your holy and beautiful house. Where are Your strong desires and Your powerful works? Your kindness and Your loving-pity are kept from me. ¹⁶ For You are our Father. Even though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not see who we are, You, O Lord, are our Father. The One Who bought us and made us free from long ago is Your name. ¹⁷ O Lord, why do You make us turn aside from Your ways and make our hearts hard so we do not fear You? Return because of Your servants, the families of Your promised land. ¹⁸ Your holy people kept Your holy house for a little while. But those who hate us have broken it under their feet. ¹⁹ We have become like those over whom You have never ruled, like those who were not called by Your name.