Isaiah 35
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Return of the Redeemed to Zion
35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus(A) 2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and shouting.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.]][a](B)
3 Strengthen the weak hands
and make firm the feeble knees.(C)
4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”(D)
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf shall be opened;(E)
6 then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert;(F)
7 the burning sand shall become a pool
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp;[b]
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.(G)
8 A highway shall be there,[c]
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,[d]
but it shall be for God’s people;[e]
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.(H)
9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.(I)
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.(J)
Footnotes
- 34.17–35.2 Q ms lacks 34.17–35.2
- 35.7 Cn: Heb in the haunt of jackals is her resting place
- 35.8 Q ms Gk Syr: MT A highway and a way shall be there
- 35.8 Or pass it by
- 35.8 Cn: Heb for them
Luke 1:47-55
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(A)
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,(B)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;(C)
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.(D)
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.(E)
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;(F)
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.(G)
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,(H)
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”(I)
Matthew 11:2-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Messengers from John the Baptist
2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah[a] was doing, he sent word by his[b] disciples(A) 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”(B) 4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.(C) 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”(D)
Jesus Praises John the Baptist
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?(E) 8 What, then, did you go out to see? Someone[c] dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What, then, did you go out to see? A prophet?[d] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.(F) 10 This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’(G)
11 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
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