Micah 5:2-5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Ruler from Bethlehem
2 [a]But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.(A)
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.(B)
4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth,(C)
5 and he shall be the one of peace.
If the Assyrians come into our land
and tread upon our soil,[b]
we will raise against them seven shepherds
and eight rulers.(D)
Hebrews 10:5-10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 Consequently, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body you have prepared for me;(A)
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘See, I have come to do your will, O God’
(in the scroll of the book[b] it is written of me).”(B)
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10 And it is by God’s will[c] that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.(C)
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Luke 1:39-56
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.(A) 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?(B) 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise
46 And Mary[b] said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,(C)
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(D)
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,(E)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;(F)
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.(G)
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.(H)
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;(I)
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.(J)
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,(K)
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”(L)
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Read full chapterNew Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.