Genesis 1:1-5

New International Version

The Beginning

1 In the beginning^(A) God created^(B) the heavens^(C) and the earth.^(D) ²Now the earth was formless^(E) and empty,^(F) darkness was over the surface of the deep,^(G) and the Spirit of God^(H) was hovering^(I) over the waters.

³And God said,^(J) “Let there be light,” and there was light.^(K) ⁴God saw that the light was good,^(L) and he separated the light from the darkness.^(M) ⁵God called^(N) the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”^(O) And there was evening, and there was morning^(P)—the first day.

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Exodus 10:21-23

New International Version

The Plague of Darkness

²¹Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness^(A) spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” ²²So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness^(B) covered all Egypt for three days. ²³No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.^(C)

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Amos 5:18-23

New International Version

The Day of the Lord

¹⁸Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!^(A)
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?^(B)
    That day will be darkness,^(C) not light.^(D)
¹⁹It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,^(E)
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.^(F)
²⁰Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,^(G) not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?^(H)

²¹“I hate,^(I) I despise your religious festivals;^(J)
    your assemblies^(K) are a stench to me.
²²Even though you bring me burnt offerings^(L) and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.^(M)
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.^(N)
²³Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.^(O)

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Luke 2:6-7

New International Version

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.

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