Isaiah 62:10-12

New International Version

¹⁰Pass through, pass through the gates!^(A)
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!^(B)
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner^(C) for the nations.

¹¹The Lord has made proclamation
    to the ends of the earth:^(D)
“Say to Daughter Zion,^(E)
    ‘See, your Savior comes!^(F)
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.’”^(G)
¹²They will be called^(H) the Holy People,^(I)
    the Redeemed^(J) of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
    the City No Longer Deserted.^(K)

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Psalm 98

New International Version

Psalm 98

A psalm.

¹Sing to the Lord^(A) a new song,^(B)
    for he has done marvelous things;^(C)
his right hand^(D) and his holy arm^(E)
    have worked salvation^(F) for him.
²The Lord has made his salvation known^(G)
    and revealed his righteousness^(H) to the nations.^(I)
³He has remembered^(J) his love
    and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth^(K) have seen
    the salvation of our God.^(L)

⁴Shout for joy^(M) to the Lord, all the earth,
    burst into jubilant song with music;
⁵make music to the Lord with the harp,^(N)
    with the harp and the sound of singing,^(O)
⁶with trumpets^(P) and the blast of the ram’s horn^(Q)—
    shout for joy^(R) before the Lord, the King.^(S)

⁷Let the sea^(T) resound, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it.^(U)
⁸Let the rivers clap their hands,^(V)
    let the mountains^(W) sing together for joy;
⁹let them sing before the Lord,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples with equity.^(X)

Titus 3:4-7

New International Version

⁴But when the kindness^(A) and love of God our Savior^(B) appeared,^(C) ⁵he saved us,^(D) not because of righteous things we had done,^(E) but because of his mercy.^(F) He saved us through the washing^(G) of rebirth and renewal^(H) by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us^(I) generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace,^(J) we might become heirs^(K) having the hope^(L) of eternal life.^(M)

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Luke 2:1-14

New International Version

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus^(A) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.^(B) ²(This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)^(C) ³And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem^(D) the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him^(E) and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel^(F) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^(G) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior^(H) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,^(I) the Lord.^(J) ¹²This will be a sign^(K) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace^(L) to those on whom his favor rests.”

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Footnotes

Luke 2:2 Or This census took place before

Luke 2:15-20

New International Version

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.^(A) ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.^(B) ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God^(C) for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.