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For thus says the Lord:
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
    and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
    “Save, O Lord, your people,
    the remnant of Israel.”(A)
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north
    and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
    those with child and those in labor together;
    a great company, they shall return here.(B)
With weeping they shall come,
    and with consolations[a] I will lead them back;
I will let them walk by brooks of water,
    in a straight path where they shall not stumble,
for I have become a father to Israel,
    and Ephraim is my firstborn.(C)

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
    and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him
    and will keep him as a shepherd does a flock.”(D)
11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob
    and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.(E)
12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
    and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
    and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall become like a watered garden,
    and they shall never languish again.(F)
13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
    and the young men and the old shall be merry.[b]
I will turn their mourning into joy;
    I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow.(G)
14 I will give the priests their fill of fatness,
    and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,
            says the Lord.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 31.9 Gk: Heb supplications
  2. 31.13 Cn: Heb old together

This is what the Lord says:

“Sing(A) with joy for Jacob;
    shout for the foremost(B) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
    Lord, save(C) your people,
    the remnant(D) of Israel.’
See, I will bring them from the land of the north(E)
    and gather(F) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind(G) and the lame,(H)
    expectant mothers and women in labor;
    a great throng will return.
They will come with weeping;(I)
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead(J) them beside streams of water(K)
    on a level(L) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,(M)
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
    proclaim it in distant coastlands:(N)
‘He who scattered(O) Israel will gather(P) them
    and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’(Q)
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
    and redeem(R) them from the hand of those stronger(S) than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy(T) on the heights(U) of Zion;
    they will rejoice in the bounty(V) of the Lord
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,(W)
    the young of the flocks(X) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,(Y)
    and they will sorrow(Z) no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
    young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning(AA) into gladness;
    I will give them comfort(AB) and joy(AC) instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy(AD) the priests(AE) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,(AF)
declares the Lord.

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12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
14 He grants peace[a] within your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of wheat.(A)
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.(B)
16 He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.(C)
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs—
    who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.(D)
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and ordinances to Israel.(E)
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 147.14 Or prosperity

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;(A)
    praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates(B)
    and blesses your people(C) within you.
14 He grants peace(D) to your borders
    and satisfies you(E) with the finest of wheat.(F)

15 He sends his command(G) to the earth;
    his word runs(H) swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow(I) like wool
    and scatters the frost(J) like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail(K) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word(L) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,(M) and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word(N) to Jacob,(O)
    his laws and decrees(P) to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;(Q)
    they do not know(R) his laws.[a]

Praise the Lord.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,[a](A) just as he chose us in Christ[b] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.(B) He destined us[c] for adoption as his children[d] through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,(C) to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace(D) that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,(E) 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.(F) 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,[e] having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,(G) 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;(H) 14 this[f] is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.3 Gk heavenlies
  2. 1.4 Gk in him
  3. 1.5 Or before him; he destined us in love
  4. 1.5 Or sonship
  5. 1.11 Or been made a heritage
  6. 1.14 Other ancient authorities read who

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us(C) in him before the creation of the world(D) to be holy and blameless(E) in his sight. In love(F) he[a] predestined(G) us for adoption to sonship[b](H) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure(I) and will— to the praise of his glorious grace,(J) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.(K) In him we have redemption(L) through his blood,(M) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches(N) of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he[c] made known to us the mystery(O) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed(P) in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment(Q)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.(R)

11 In him we were also chosen,[d] having been predestined(S) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose(T) of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.(U) 13 And you also were included in Christ(V) when you heard the message of truth,(W) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,(X) the promised Holy Spirit,(Y) 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance(Z) until the redemption(AA) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.(AB)

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. He
  2. Ephesians 1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
  3. Ephesians 1:9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. And he
  4. Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.(A) He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being(B) in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people.(C) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b](D)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.4 Or . . . through him. And without him not one thing came into being that has come into being. In him was life
  2. 1.9 Or He was the true light that enlightens everyone coming into the world

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word,(A) and the Word was with God,(B) and the Word was God.(C) He was with God in the beginning.(D) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.(E) In him was life,(F) and that life was the light(G) of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,(H) and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.(I)

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.(J) He came as a witness to testify(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.(L) He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light(M) that gives light to everyone(N) was coming into the world.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:5 Or understood

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him.(A) 11 He came to what was his own,[a] and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,(B) 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.(C)

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[b] full of grace and truth.(D) 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.[c](E) 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(F) 18 No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who[d] is close to the Father’s heart,[e] who has made him known.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.11 Or to his own home
  2. 1.14 Or the Father’s only Son
  3. 1.16 Or grace in place of grace
  4. 1.18 Other ancient authorities read is the only Son who
  5. 1.18 Gk bosom

10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,(A) the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.(B) 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed(C) in his name,(D) he gave the right to become children of God(E) 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.(F)

14 The Word became flesh(G) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,(H) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace(I) and truth.(J)

15 (John testified(K) concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)(L) 16 Out of his fullness(M) we have all received grace(N) in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses;(O) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(P) 18 No one has ever seen God,(Q) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[a](R) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

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Footnotes

  1. John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who