Isaiah 8:19-9:7

New International Version

The Darkness Turns to Light

¹⁹When someone tells you to consult^(A) mediums and spiritists,^(B) who whisper and mutter,^(C) should not a people inquire^(D) of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? ²⁰Consult God’s instruction^(E) and the testimony of warning.^(F) If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light^(G) of dawn. ²¹Distressed and hungry,^(H) they will roam through the land;^(I) when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse^(J) their king and their God. ²²Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom,^(K) and they will be thrust into utter darkness.^(L)

9 ^[a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom^(M) for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,^(N) but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

²The people walking in darkness^(O)
    have seen a great light;^(P)
on those living in the land of deep darkness^(Q)
    a light has dawned.^(R)
³You have enlarged the nation^(S)
    and increased their joy;^(T)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.^(U)
⁴For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,^(V)
    you have shattered^(W)
the yoke^(X) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,^(Y)
    the rod of their oppressor.^(Z)
⁵Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,^(AA)
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶For to us a child is born,^(AB)
    to us a son is given,^(AC)
    and the government^(AD) will be on his shoulders.^(AE)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,^(AF) Mighty God,^(AG)
    Everlasting^(AH) Father,^(AI) Prince of Peace.^(AJ)
⁷Of the greatness of his government^(AK) and peace^(AL)
    there will be no end.^(AM)
He will reign^(AN) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice^(AO) and righteousness^(AP)
    from that time on and forever.^(AQ)
The zeal^(AR) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Footnotes

Isaiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20.

John 1:1-14

New International Version

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word,^(A) and the Word was with God,^(B) and the Word was God.^(C) ²He was with God in the beginning.^(D) ³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.^(E) ⁴In him was life,^(F) and that life was the light^(G) of all mankind. ⁵The light shines in the darkness,^(H) and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.^(I)

⁶There was a man sent from God whose name was John.^(J) ⁷He came as a witness to testify^(K) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.^(L) ⁸He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹The true light^(M) that gives light to everyone^(N) was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,^(O) the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.^(P) ¹²Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed^(Q) in his name,^(R) he gave the right to become children of God^(S)— ¹³children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(T)

¹⁴The Word became flesh^(U) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,^(V) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace^(W) and truth.^(X)

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