(A)Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the (B)deaf who have ears.
Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
(C)Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
10 “You(D) are My witnesses,” says the Lord,
(E)“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and (F)believe Me,
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, (G)am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no (H)foreign god among you;
(I)Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 (J)Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will (K)reverse it?”

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Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,(A)
    who have ears but are deaf.(B)
All the nations gather together(C)
    and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold(D) this
    and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
    so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,(E)” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant(F) whom I have chosen,
so that you may know(G) and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god(H) was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.(I)
11 I, even I, am the Lord,(J)
    and apart from me there is no savior.(K)
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god(L) among you.
You are my witnesses,(M)” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
13     Yes, and from ancient days(N) I am he.(O)
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”(P)

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The Lord the Defense of His People

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

124 “If it had not been the Lord who was on our (A)side,”
(B)Let Israel now say—
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
Then they would have (C)swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have [a]gone over our soul;
Then the swollen waters
Would have [b]gone over our soul.”

Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
(D)Our soul has escaped (E)as a bird from the snare of the [c]fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
(F)Our help is in the name of the Lord,
(G)Who made heaven and earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 124:4 swept over
  2. Psalm 124:5 swept over
  3. Psalm 124:7 Persons who catch birds in a trap or snare

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the Lord had not been on our side—
    let Israel say(A)
if the Lord had not been on our side
    when people attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive
    when their anger flared against us;
the flood(B) would have engulfed us,
    the torrent(C) would have swept over us,
the raging waters
    would have swept us away.

Praise be to the Lord,
    who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
    from the fowler’s snare;(D)
the snare has been broken,(E)
    and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name(F) of the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(G) and earth.

But you be watchful in all things, (A)endure afflictions, do the work of (B)an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul’s Valedictory

For (C)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of (D)my departure is at hand. (E)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me (F)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous (G)Judge, will give to me (H)on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

The Abandoned Apostle

Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for (I)Demas has forsaken me, (J)having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get (K)Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And (L)Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

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But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,(A) do the work of an evangelist,(B) discharge all the duties of your ministry.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,(C) and the time for my departure is near.(D) I have fought the good fight,(E) I have finished the race,(F) I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me(G) the crown of righteousness,(H) which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day(I)—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.(J)

Personal Remarks

Do your best to come to me quickly,(K) 10 for Demas,(L) because he loved this world,(M) has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.(N) Crescens has gone to Galatia,(O) and Titus(P) to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke(Q) is with me.(R) Get Mark(S) and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus(T) to Ephesus.(U) 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas,(V) and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

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Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry(A)

14 (B)Then Jesus returned (C)in the power of the Spirit to (D)Galilee, and (E)news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He (F)taught in their synagogues, (G)being glorified by all.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth(H)

16 So He came to (I)Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, (J)He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The(K) Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me [a]to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To (L)set at liberty those who are [b]oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is (M)fulfilled in your hearing.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 4:18 NU omits to heal the brokenhearted
  2. Luke 4:18 downtrodden

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

14 Jesus returned to Galilee(A) in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.(B) 15 He was teaching in their synagogues,(C) and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth,(D) where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue,(E) as was his custom. He stood up to read,(F) 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,(G)
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news(H) to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a](I)

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.(J) The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled(K) in your hearing.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 4:19 Isaiah 61:1,2 (see Septuagint); Isaiah 58:6