^6 (A)who, though he was in ^(B)the form of God, did not count equality with God ^(C)a thing to be grasped,^{[a] 7} but ^(D)emptied himself, by taking the form of a ^(E)servant,^{[b] (F)}being born in the likeness of men.

The Righteous Reign of the Branch

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet ^(A)the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to ^(B)his own,^[a] and ^(C)his own people^{[b] (D)}did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, ^(E)who believed in his name, ^(F)he gave the right ^(G)to become ^(H)children of God, ¹³ who ^(I)were born, ^(J)not of blood ^(K)nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And ^(L)the Word ^(M)became flesh and ^(N)dwelt among us, ^(O)and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son^[c] from the Father, full of ^(P)grace and ^(Q)truth.

^5 (A)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous ^(B)Branch, and ^(C)he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

²² Thus says the Lord God: ^(A)“I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. ^(B)I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and ^(C)I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ^23 (D)On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. ^(E)And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest. ²⁴ And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; ^(F)I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up ^(G)the green tree, and make ^(H)the dry tree flourish. ^(I)I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

¹² And he said to them, “Elijah does come first ^(A)to restore all things. And ^(B)how is it written of the Son of Man that he should ^(C)suffer many things and ^(D)be treated with contempt?

^3 (A)Is not this ^(B)the carpenter, the son of Mary and ^(C)brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And ^(D)they took offense at him.