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.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 62:9 Or in my holy courts

I have posted watchmen(A) on your walls, Jerusalem;
    they will never be silent day or night.
You who call on the Lord,
    give yourselves no rest,(B)
and give him no rest(C) till he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes her the praise(D) of the earth.

The Lord has sworn(E) by his right hand
    and by his mighty arm:
“Never again will I give your grain(F)
    as food for your enemies,
and never again will foreigners drink the new wine
    for which you have toiled;
but those who harvest it will eat(G) it
    and praise the Lord,(H)
and those who gather the grapes will drink it
    in the courts of my sanctuary.”(I)

10 Pass through, pass through the gates!(J)
    Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!(K)
    Remove the stones.
Raise a banner(L) for the nations.

11 The Lord has made proclamation
    to the ends of the earth:(M)
“Say to Daughter Zion,(N)
    ‘See, your Savior comes!(O)
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.’”(P)
12 They will be called(Q) the Holy People,(R)
    the Redeemed(S) of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
    the City No Longer Deserted.(T)

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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

Psalm 97

The Lord reigns,(A) let the earth be glad;(B)
    let the distant shores(C) rejoice.
Clouds(D) and thick darkness(E) surround him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.(F)
Fire(G) goes before(H) him
    and consumes(I) his foes on every side.
His lightning(J) lights up the world;
    the earth(K) sees and trembles.(L)
The mountains melt(M) like wax(N) before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.(O)
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,(P)
    and all peoples see his glory.(Q)

All who worship images(R) are put to shame,(S)
    those who boast in idols(T)
    worship him,(U) all you gods!(V)

Zion hears and rejoices
    and the villages of Judah are glad(W)
    because of your judgments,(X) Lord.
For you, Lord, are the Most High(Y) over all the earth;(Z)
    you are exalted(AA) far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,(AB)
    for he guards(AC) the lives of his faithful ones(AD)
    and delivers(AE) them from the hand of the wicked.(AF)
11 Light shines[a](AG) on the righteous(AH)
    and joy on the upright in heart.(AI)
12 Rejoice in the Lord,(AJ) you who are righteous,
    and praise his holy name.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 97:11 One Hebrew manuscript and ancient versions (see also 112:4); most Hebrew manuscripts Light is sown

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.

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But when the kindness(A) and love of God our Savior(B) appeared,(C) he 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, whom he poured out on us(I) generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so 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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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]

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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

The Birth of Jesus

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

So 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him(E) and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and 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.

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

13 Suddenly 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

  1. Luke 2:2 Or This census took place before

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.

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15 When 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.”

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

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