New English Translation
Isaiah 61:1
1The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners,
Isaiah 61:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
- New International Version (NIV)The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
- English Standard Version (ESV)The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
- New King James Version (NKJV)“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Context of Isaiah 61:1
The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, 2to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, 3to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.
Read all of Isaiah 61Isaiah 61:1 word by word
ר֛וּחַ אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה עָלָ֑י יַ֡עַן מָשַׁח֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֹתִ֜י לְבַשֵּׂ֣ר עֲנָוִ֗ים שְׁלָחַ֙נִי֙ לַחֲבֹ֣שׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֔ב לִקְרֹ֤א לִשְׁבוּיִם֙ דְּר֔וֹר וְלַאֲסוּרִ֖ים פְּקַח־קֽוֹחַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The Spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- of the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- upon me; because the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath anointedמָשַׁחmâshach · to anointH4886
- me to preach good tidingsבָּשַׂרbâώar · to bear tidingsH1319
- unto the meekעָנָו‛ânâv ‛ânâyv · poorH6035
- he hath sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- me to bind upחָבַשׁchâbash · to saddle/tieH2280
- the brokenheartedלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- the brokenheartedשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
- to proclaimקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
- libertyדְּרוֹרderôr · libertyH1865
- to the captivesשָׁבָהshâbâh · to take captiveH7617
- and the opening of the prisonפְּקַח־קוֹחַpeqach-qôach · openingH6495
- boundאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
Cross-references for Isaiah 61:1
- Isaiah 11:2The Lord’s spirit will rest on him – a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.
- Isaiah 42:1“Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations.
- Isaiah 59:21“As for me, this is my promise to them,” says the Lord. “My spirit, who is upon you, and my words, which I have placed in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and descendants from this time forward,” says the Lord.
- Matthew 3:16After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him.
- Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,
- John 1:32Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
- John 3:34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.
- Psalms 2:6“I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.”
- Psalms 45:7You love justice and hate evil. For this reason God, your God has anointed you with the oil of joy, elevating you above your companions.
- Daniel 9:24“Seventy weeks have been determined concerning your people and your holy city to put an end to rebellion, to bring sin to completion, to atone for iniquity, to bring in perpetual righteousness, to seal up the prophetic vision, and to anoint a most holy place.
- John 1:41He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated Christ).
- Acts 4:27“For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,
- Acts 10:38with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.
- Hebrews 1:9You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions with the oil of rejoicing.”
- Isaiah 52:9In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord consoles his people; he protects Jerusalem.
- Psalms 22:26Let the oppressed eat and be filled! Let those who seek his help praise the Lord! May you live forever!
Commentaries on Isaiah 61:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me "The Spirit of Jehovah is upon me" - The Septuagint, Vulgate, and St. Luke, ( Luke 4:18;), and a MS., and two old editions omit the word אדני Adonai, the Lord; which was probably added to the text through the superstition of the Jews, to prevent the pronunciation of the word יהוה Jehovah following. See Kennicott on the state of the printed Hebrew text, vol. i., p. 610. In most of Isaiah's prophecies there is a primary…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The Spirit of the Lord God - Hebrew, The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh.‘ The Chaldee renders this, The prophet said, the spirit of prophecy from the presence of Yahweh God is upon me.‘ The Syriac, The Spirit of the Lord God.‘ The Septuagint, ͂ ́ Pneuma Kuriou - The Spirit of the Lord,‘ omitting the word אדני 'ădonāy So Luke quotes it in Luke 4:18. That this refers to the Messiah is abundantly proved by the fact that the Lord Jesus expressly applied it to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Messiah, his character and office. (Is. 61:1-3) His promises of the future blessedness of the church. (Is. 61:4-9) The church praises God for these mercies. (Is. 61:10,11) Verses 1-3 The prophets had the Holy Spirit of God at times, teaching them what to say, and causing them to say it; but Christ had the Spirit always, without measure, to qualify him, as man, for the work to which he was appointed. The poor are commonly best disposed to receive the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The presence of God's Spirit guarantees the servant's mission will succeed (see Isaiah 11:1–5; 42:1). The servant will help and heal the marginalized, the poor, and those with broken hearts (see Isaiah 25:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-11Messiah announces His twofold commission to bring gospel mercy at His first coming, and judgments on unbelievers and comfort to Zion at His second coming (Is 61:1-9); the language can be applied to Isaiah, comforting by his prophecies the exiles in Babylon, only in a subordinate sense. 1. is upon me; because ... hath anointed me--quoted by Jesus as His credentials in preaching (Lu 4:18-21). The Spirit is upon Me in preaching, because Jehovah hath anointed…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 61:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 61
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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