Isaiah 40:1-2
Christian Standard Bible
God’s People Comforted
40 “Comfort, comfort my people,”(A)
says your God.
2 “Speak tenderly to[a] Jerusalem,
and announce to her
that her time of hard service is over,
her iniquity(B) has been pardoned,(C)
and she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.”(D)
Footnotes
- 40:2 Lit Speak to the heart of
Isaiah 49:13
Christian Standard Bible
13 Shout for joy, you heavens!(A)
Earth, rejoice!
Mountains break into joyful shouts!
For the Lord has comforted his people,(B)
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.(C)
Isaiah 61:1-3
Christian Standard Bible
Messiah’s Jubilee
61 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me,(A)
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.(B)
He has sent me to heal[a] the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and freedom to the prisoners;(C)
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,(D)
and the day of our God’s vengeance;(E)
to comfort(F) all who mourn,
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion;
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
festive oil instead of mourning,(G)
and splendid clothes instead of despair.[b]
And they will be called righteous trees,
planted by the Lord
to glorify him.(H)
Luke 2:21-38
Christian Standard Bible
The Circumcision and Presentation of Jesus
21 When the eight days were completed for his circumcision,(A) he was named Jesus(B)—the name given by the angel before he was conceived. 22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished,(C) they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every firstborn male will be dedicated[a] to the Lord[b](D)) 24 and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons[c](E)).
Simeon’s Prophetic Praise
25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout,(F) looking forward to Israel’s consolation,(G) and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit(H) that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.(I) 27 Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said,
29 Now, Master,
you can dismiss your servant in peace,
as you promised.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation.(J)
31 You have prepared it
in the presence of all peoples—
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles[d](K)
and glory to your people Israel.(L)
33 His father and mother[e] were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary, “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel(M) and to be a sign that will be opposed[f]— 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts[g] of many hearts may be revealed.”
Anna’s Testimony
36 There was also a prophetess,(N) Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.(O) She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,[h](P) 37 and was a widow for eighty-four years.[i] She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.(Q) 38 At that very moment,[j] she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.[k](R)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2:23 Lit be called holy
- 2:23 Ex 13:2,12
- 2:24 Lv 5:11; 12:8
- 2:32 Or the nations
- 2:33 Other mss read But Joseph and his mother
- 2:34 Or spoken against
- 2:35 Or schemes
- 2:36 Lit years from her virginity
- 2:37 Or she was a widow until the age of eighty-four
- 2:38 Lit very hour
- 2:38 Other mss read in Jerusalem
Matthew 5:3-10
Christian Standard Bible
The Beatitudes
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,(A)
for the kingdom of heaven(B) is theirs.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,(C)
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the humble,(D)
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,(E)
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.(F)
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.(G)
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.(H)
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for the kingdom of heaven(I) is theirs.
Matthew 23:37
Christian Standard Bible
Jesus’s Lamenting over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem,(A) who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks[a] under her wings, but you were not willing!(B)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 23:37 Or as a mother bird gathers her young
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
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