Exodus 13:1-3

New International Version

Consecration of the Firstborn

13 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Consecrate to me every firstborn male.^(A) The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”

³Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt,^(B) out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand.^(C) Eat nothing containing yeast.^(D)

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Exodus 13:11-15

New International Version

¹¹“After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites^(A) and gives it to you, as he promised on oath^(B) to you and your ancestors,^(C) ¹²you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.^(D) ¹³Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey,^(E) but if you do not redeem it, break its neck.^(F) Redeem^(G) every firstborn among your sons.^(H)

¹⁴“In days to come, when your son^(I) asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.^(J) ¹⁵When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’^(K)

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Psalm 111

New International Version

Psalm 111^[a]

¹Praise the Lord.^[b]

I will extol the Lord^(A) with all my heart^(B)
in the council^(C) of the upright and in the assembly.^(D)

²Great are the works^(E) of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all^(F) who delight in them.
³Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures^(G) forever.
⁴He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.^(H)
⁵He provides food^(I) for those who fear him;^(J)
    he remembers his covenant^(K) forever.

⁶He has shown his people the power of his works,^(L)
    giving them the lands of other nations.^(M)
⁷The works of his hands^(N) are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.^(O)
⁸They are established for ever^(P) and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
⁹He provided redemption^(Q) for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome^(R) is his name.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord^(S) is the beginning of wisdom;^(T)
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.^(U)
To him belongs eternal praise.^(V)

Footnotes

Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 111:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah

Colossians 3:12-17

New International Version

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves^(A) with compassion, kindness, humility,^(B) gentleness and patience.^(C) ¹³Bear with each other^(D) and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.^(E) ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love,^(F) which binds them all together in perfect unity.^(G)

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ^(H) rule in your hearts, since as members of one body^(I) you were called to peace.^(J) And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the message of Christ^(K) dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom^(L) through psalms,^(M) hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.^(N) ¹⁷And whatever you do,^(O) whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks^(P) to God the Father through him.

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Luke 2:22-40

New International Version

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²²When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses,^(A) Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”^[a]),^(B) ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”^[b]^(C)

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.^(D) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,^(E) and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,^(F) ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,^(G)
    you may now dismiss^[c] your servant in peace.^(H)
³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation,^(I)
³¹    which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”^(J)

³³The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:^(K) “This child is destined to cause the falling^(L) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶There was also a prophet,^(M) Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[d]^(N) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.^(O) ³⁸Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.^(P)

³⁹When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.^(Q) ⁴⁰And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.^(R)

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