4:3 Look, 1 you have instructed 2 many;
you have strengthened 3 feeble hands. 4
4:4 Your words have supported 5 those
who stumbled, 6
and you have strengthened the knees
that gave way. 7
35:3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp,
steady the knees that shake! 8
35:4 Tell those who panic, 9
“Be strong! Do not fear!
Look, your God comes to avenge!
With divine retribution he comes to deliver you.” 10
61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 11 me. 12
He has commissioned 13 me to encourage 14 the poor,
to help 15 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance, 16
to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 17 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 18 instead of discouragement. 19
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 20
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 21
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance, 22
to console all who mourn,
1:3 We always 23 give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1:4 since 24 we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints. 1:5 Your faith and love have arisen 25 from the hope laid up 26 for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel 27 1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel 28 is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing 29 among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. 1:7 You learned the gospel 30 from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave 31 – a 32 faithful minister of Christ on our 33 behalf –
1:1 From Paul, 34 an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,