Jesus reads from Isaiah and says the Spirit of the Lord is upon him. He states his mission as bringing good news to the poor, proclaiming liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and setting the oppressed free, proclaiming the Lord’s favor. He then says this Scripture is fulfilled in their hearing (Luke 4:18–21).
In Luke 4:14–22, Jesus returns to Galilee with public momentum and then comes to his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. He reads a passage from Isaiah describing a Spirit-empowered messenger who announces good news and freedom for people in distress. After the reading, he tells the gathered community that the Scripture has come true “today” as they hear it. This scene follows Jesus’ temptation and introduces the tone of his Galilean ministry. Luke first reports a broad summary: Jesus teaches in synagogues and gains a strong reputation. Then Luke zooms in on one representative moment in Nazareth, where Jesus publicly frames his mission using Israel’s Scriptures.
Luke presents this synagogue scene as a public mission statement. Jesus is described as acting “in the power of the Spirit,” already known as a respected synagogue teacher. In Nazareth he chooses Isaiah and reads a Spirit-commissioned message aimed at people in distress (poor, brokenhearted, captives, blind, crushed).
A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.
Start with Luke 4:18-21, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, Because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to the captives, Recovering of sight to the blind, To deliver those who are crushed,
19And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
20He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21He began to tell them, "Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."