Isaiah 61 2

Isaiah 61:2 kjv

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

Isaiah 61:2 nkjv

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

Isaiah 61:2 niv

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

Isaiah 61:2 esv

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

Isaiah 61:2 nlt

He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the LORD's favor has come,
and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies.

Isaiah 61 verses

Isaiah 61 2 Meaning

This verse proclaims a time of divine favor and divine retribution. God's anointed one will bring good news to the afflicted, bind up the brokenhearted, announce liberty to captives, and proclaim freedom for those imprisoned by sin or suffering. Simultaneously, this era will be marked by God's vengeance upon His enemies and comfort for those who mourn.

Isaiah 61 2 Context

Isaiah 61 prophesies the coming Messianic Age. The preceding verse (61:1) sets the stage, declaring the Spirit of the Lord God upon the anointed one (the Messiah) to proclaim good news. This chapter details the specific ministry of the Messiah: to bring restoration, healing, comfort, and freedom. It speaks to a people under oppression and suffering, promising a divine intervention that will transform their circumstances and their spiritual state. This prophecy provides a crucial framework for understanding Jesus' earthly ministry and His ultimate redemptive work. The dual mention of "favor" and "day of vengeance" highlights both the grace extended to believers and the judgment upon sin and opposition to God.

Isaiah 61 2 Word Analysis

• to proclaim (Proclaiming/announce): Hebrew: "qara" (קרא) - literally means to call out, to announce, to read aloud. It signifies a public and authoritative declaration.
• good news (glad tidings): Hebrew: "towb" (טוב) - meaning good, pleasant; and "mabba' ser" (מבשר) - a messenger bringing good news. It points to the joyous message of salvation and deliverance.
• the afflicted (contrite/brokenhearted): Hebrew: "dehak" (דְּכָא) - battered, crushed, broken. Refers to those wounded in spirit, broken in heart by sin, sorrow, or oppression.
• bind up (bind/bandage): Hebrew: "chabash" (חָבַשׁ) - to bind, wrap, dress a wound. Implies tender care and healing.
• liberty (release): Hebrew: "cheyruth" (חֵרוּת) - freedom, liberty, deliverance. Refers to being freed from bondage, whether physical, spiritual, or emotional.
• captives (prisoners): Hebrew: "shabiy" (שָׁבִי) - captive, exile. Denotes those held against their will.
• opening (opening/setting open): Hebrew: "petha'ch" (פָּתַח) - to open, unbar. Implies making accessible.
• imprisoned (shut in): Hebrew: "culaw" (סוּגַר) - shut up, confined. Indicates confinement and lack of freedom.
• the day of vengeance (vengeance of): Hebrew: "yowm" (יוֹם) - day; and "naqam" (נָקָם) - vengeance, retribution, revenge. Signifies a time set for divine recompense.
• our God: Emphasizes God's direct involvement and relationship with His people.
• to comfort (console): Hebrew: "nacham" (נָחַם) - to comfort, console, to repent (in reflexive/passive). Here it means to provide solace.
• all who mourn: Refers to those experiencing grief, sorrow, or penitence.

Groups of words analysis:

• "Good news to the afflicted" and "bind up the brokenhearted" speak of God's compassionate response to human suffering and sin.
• "Proclaim liberty to the captives" and "opening prison to those who are bound" highlight the liberation from all forms of bondage, emphasizing spiritual freedom.
• "The day of vengeance of our God" and "to comfort all who mourn" show the balance of justice against evildoers and comfort for the faithful.

Isaiah 61 2 Bonus Section

The structure of the verse reveals a beautiful symmetry. It first speaks of four gracious acts directed towards the suffering (proclaim good news, bind up, proclaim liberty, open prison). Then it presents the dual purpose of God's action: vengeance on the ungodly and comfort for the godly. This dichotomy is crucial: divine favor for the redeemed inherently means divine judgment on those who reject God's offer of grace. The pronouncements are for "the acceptable year of the Lord," a term Jesus connects to His own ministry, marking a pivotal time of divine favor and a definitive break from the old order. This prophetic utterance has immediate application to the Jewish exiles' return but finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ's salvific work.

Isaiah 61 2 Commentary

This verse is a foundational Messianic prophecy. Jesus quoted the first part of Isaiah 61 (verses 1-2) in the Nazareth synagogue, declaring Himself to be the fulfillment of this scripture (Luke 4:18-21). The "good news" is the gospel itself – the message of salvation through Christ. The "afflicted" and "brokenhearted" represent those whose spirits are crushed by sin and the world's brokenness, and they find healing and restoration in Jesus. "Liberty to the captives" refers to liberation from the bondage of sin, death, and the devil, while "opening prison to those who are bound" speaks of release from spiritual imprisonment. The "day of vengeance" is the appointed time when God will execute His justice against evil, while His comfort is for those who turn to Him in repentance and faith. It encapsulates the redemptive purpose of Christ's coming – to save the lost and bring comfort to the suffering faithful.