On your walls, O Jerusalem,
    I have set (A)watchmen;
all the day and all the night
    they shall never be silent.
You who put the Lord in remembrance,
    take no rest,
and give him no rest
    until he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes it (B)a praise in the earth.
The Lord has sworn (C)by his right hand
    and by his mighty arm:
“I will not again give (D)your grain
    to be food for your enemies,
(E)and foreigners shall not drink your wine
    for which you have labored;
but (F)those who garner it shall eat it
    and praise the Lord,
and (G)those who gather it shall drink it
    in the courts of my sanctuary.”[a]

10 Go through, go through the gates;
    (H)prepare the way for the people;
(I)build up, build up the highway;
    clear it of stones;
    (J)lift up a signal over the peoples.
11 Behold, the Lord has proclaimed
    to the end of the earth:
(K)Say to the daughter of Zion,
    (L)“Behold, your salvation comes;
behold, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense before him.”
12 (M)And they shall be called The Holy People,
    The Redeemed of the Lord;
(N)and you shall be called Sought Out,
    A City Not Forsaken.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 62:9 Or in my holy courts

The Lord Reigns

97 (A)The Lord reigns, (B)let the earth rejoice;
    let the many (C)coastlands be glad!
(D)Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    (E)righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
(F)Fire goes before him
    and burns up his adversaries all around.
His (G)lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and (H)trembles.
The mountains (I)melt like (J)wax before the Lord,
    before (K)the Lord of all the earth.

(L)The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    and all (M)the peoples see his glory.
All worshipers of images are (N)put to shame,
    who make their boast in (O)worthless idols;
    (P)worship him, all you gods!

Zion hears and (Q)is glad,
    and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O Lord.
For you, O Lord, are (R)most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above (S)all gods.

10 O you who love the Lord, (T)hate evil!
    He (U)preserves the lives of his (V)saints;
    he (W)delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 (X)Light (Y)is sown[a] for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
12 (Z)Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
    and (AA)give thanks to his holy name!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 97:11 Most Hebrew manuscripts; one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome Light dawns

But when (A)the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, (B)not because of works done by us in righteousness, but (C)according to his own mercy, by (D)the washing of regeneration and (E)renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he (F)poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that (G)being justified by his grace we might become (H)heirs (I)according to the hope of eternal life.

Read full chapter

The Birth of Jesus Christ

In those days (A)a decree went out from (B)Caesar Augustus that all the world should be (C)registered. This was the first (D)registration when[a] Quirinius (E)was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up (F)from Galilee, from the town of (G)Nazareth, to Judea, to (H)the city of David, which is called (I)Bethlehem, (J)because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[b] who was with child. And (K)while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and (L)wrapped him in swaddling cloths and (M)laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in (N)the inn.[c]

The Shepherds and the Angels

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord (O)appeared to them, and (P)the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all (Q)the people. 11 For (R)unto you is born this day in (S)the city of David (T)a Savior, who is (U)Christ (V)the Lord. 12 And (W)this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby (X)wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel (Y)a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 (Z)“Glory to God (AA)in the highest,
    (AB)and on earth (AC)peace (AD)among those with whom he is pleased!”[d]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 2:2 Or This was the registration before
  2. Luke 2:5 That is, one legally pledged to be married
  3. Luke 2:7 Or guest room
  4. Luke 2:14 Some manuscripts peace, good will among men

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby (A)lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But (B)Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, (C)glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends

ESV Holy Bible for Kids, Softcover Economy Edition
ESV Holy Bible for Kids, Softcover Economy Edition
Retail: $9.99
Our Price: $5.99
Save: $4.00 (40%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible, TruTone, Navy Blue
ESV Student Study Bible, TruTone, Navy Blue
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $20.99
Save: $24.00 (53%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Journaling Bible--buffalo leather over board, deep brown
ESV Journaling Bible--buffalo leather over board, deep brown
Retail: $79.99
Our Price: $22.99
Save: $57.00 (71%)
ESV Church Bible (Value Pew Bible) Black
ESV Church Bible (Value Pew Bible) Black
Retail: $12.99
Our Price: $7.49
Save: $5.50 (42%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars