Isaiah 61:1

The Lord Will Rejuvenate His People

61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,

because the Lord has chosen ¹  me. ² 

He has commissioned ³  me to encourage ⁴  the poor,

to help ⁵  the brokenhearted,

to decree the release of captives,

and the freeing of prisoners,

John 4:34

4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me ⁶  and to complete ⁷  his work. ⁸ 

John 6:37

6:37 Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away. ⁹ 

Romans 15:3

15:3 For even Christ did not please himself, but just as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ¹⁰ 

Romans 15:2

15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.

Romans 4:2

4:2 For if Abraham was declared righteous ¹¹  by the works of the law, he has something to boast about – but not before God.

¹ tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.

² sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).

³ tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”

⁴ tn Or “proclaim good news to.”

⁵ tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”

⁶ sn The one who sent me refers to the Father.

⁷ tn Or “to accomplish.”

⁸ tn The substantival ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated as an English infinitive clause.

⁹ tn Or “drive away”; Grk “cast out.”

¹⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 69:9.

¹¹ tn Or “was justified.”