Luke 2:21-52
Contemporary English Version
21 (A) Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands.[a] And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby.
Simeon Praises the Lord
22 (B) The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born.[b]
They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, 23 (C) just as the Law of the Lord says, “Each first-born[c] baby boy belongs to the Lord.” 24 The Law of the Lord also says parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did.
25 At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for him to save the people of Israel. God's Spirit came to him 26 and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord.
27 When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. 28 Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God,
29 “Lord, I am your servant,
and now I can die in peace,
because you have kept
your promise to me.
30 With my own eyes I have seen
what you have done
to save your people,
31 and foreign nations
will also see this.
32 (D) Your mighty power is a light
for all nations,
and it will bring honor
to your people Israel.”
33 Jesus' parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. 34 Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, 35 and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”
Anna Speaks about the Child Jesus
36 (E) The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. 37 And now she was 84 years old.[d] Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.[e]
38 At this time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.
The Return to Nazareth
39 (F) After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the Lord commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 (G) Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. 42 And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. 43 After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. 44 They thought he was traveling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they started looking for him. 45 When they could not find him with their relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem and started looking for him there.
46 Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was surprised at how much he knew and at the answers he gave.
48 When his parents found him, they were amazed. His mother said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you!”
49 Jesus answered, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?”[f] 50 But they did not understand what he meant.
51 Jesus went back to Nazareth with his parents and obeyed them. His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened.
52 (H) Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2.21 what the Law of Moses commands: See the note at 1.59.
- 2.22 after her baby is born: After a Jewish mother gave birth to a son, she was considered “unclean” and had to stay home until he was circumcised (see the note at 1.59). Then she had to stay home for another 33 days, before offering a sacrifice to the Lord.
- 2.23 first-born: See the note at 2.7.
- 2.37 And now she was 84 years old: Or “And now she had been a widow for 84 years.”
- 2.37 without eating: The Jewish people sometimes went without eating (also called “fasting”) to show their love for God or to show sorrow for their sins.
- 2.49 in my Father's house: Or “doing my Father's work.”
Ezekiel 38-39
Contemporary English Version
Gog Invades Israel
38 The Lord said:
2 (A) Ezekiel, son of man, condemn Gog, that wicked ruler of the kingdoms of Meshech and Tubal in the land of Magog. Tell him:
3 I, the Lord God, am your enemy, 4 and I will make you powerless! I will put a hook in your jaw and drag away both you and your large army. You command cavalry troops that wear heavy armor and carry shields and swords. 5 Your army includes soldiers from Persia, Ethiopia,[a] and Libya, 6 as well as from Gomer and Beth-Togarmah in the north. Your army is enormous!
7 So keep your troops prepared to fight, 8 because in a few years, I will command you to invade Israel, a country that was ruined by war. It was deserted for a long time, but its people have returned from the foreign nations where they once lived. The Israelites now live in peace in the mountains of their own land. 9 But you and your army will attack them like a fierce thunderstorm and surround them like a cloud.
10 When that day comes, I know that you will have an evil plan 11 to take advantage of Israel, that weak and peaceful country where people live safely inside towns that have no walls or gates or locks. 12 You will rob the people in towns that were once a pile of rubble. These people lived as prisoners in foreign nations, but they have returned to Israel, the most important place in the world, and they own livestock and property. 13 The people of Sheba and Dedan, along with merchants from villages in[b] southern Spain,[c] will be your allies. They will want some of the silver and gold, as well as the livestock and property that your army takes from Israel.
14 I, the Lord God, know that when you see[d] my people Israel living in peace, 15 you will lead your powerful cavalry from your kingdom in the north. 16 You will attack my people like a storm-cloud that covers their land. I will let you invade my country Israel, so that every nation on earth will know that I, the Lord, am holy.
Judgment on Gog
17 The Lord said to Gog:
Long ago, I ordered my prophets to warn the people of Israel that someday I would send an enemy to attack them. You, Gog, are that enemy, and that day is coming. 18 When you invade Israel, I will become furious, 19 and in my anger I will send a terrible earthquake to shake Israel. 20 Every living thing on earth will tremble in fear of me—every fish and bird, every wild animal and reptile, and every human. Mountains will crumble, cliffs will fall, and cities will collapse. 21 I, the Lord, will make the mountains of Israel turn against you.[e] Your troops will be so terrified that they will attack each other. 22 I will strike you with diseases and punish you with death. You and your army will be pounded with rainstorms, hailstones, and burning sulfur. 23 I will do these things to show the world that I, the Lord, am holy.
Gog Is Defeated
The Lord said:
39 Ezekiel, son of man, condemn Gog and tell him:
You are the ruler of Meshech and Tubal, but I, the Lord, am your enemy! 2 I will turn you around and drag you from the north until you reach the mountains of Israel. 3 I will knock the bow out of your left hand and the arrows out of your right hand, 4 (B) and you and your army will die on those mountains. Then birds and wild animals will eat the flesh 5 of your dead bodies left lying in open fields. I, the Lord, have spoken.
6 I will set fire to the land of Magog and to those nations along the seacoast that think they are so secure, and they will know that I am the Lord.
7 My people Israel will know me, and they will no longer disgrace my holy name. Everyone on earth will know that I am the holy Lord God of Israel. 8 The day is coming when these things will happen, just as I have promised.
9 When that day comes, the people in the towns of Israel will collect the weapons of their dead enemies. They will use these shields, bows and arrows, spears, and clubs as firewood, and there will be enough to last for seven years. 10 They will burn these weapons instead of gathering sticks or chopping down trees. That's how the Israelites will take revenge on those who robbed and abused them. I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Burial of Gog
The Lord said:
11 After Gog has been destroyed, I will bury him and his army in Israel, in Travelers'[f] Valley, east of the Dead Sea. That graveyard will be so large that it will block the way of anyone who tries to walk through the valley,[g] which will then be known as “The Valley of Gog's Army.”[h] 12 The Israelites will spend seven months burying dead bodies and cleaning up their land. 13 Everyone will help with the burial, and they will be honored for this on the day the brightness of my glory is seen. 14 After those seven months, the people will appoint a group of men to look for any dead bodies left unburied. This must be done for seven months to make sure that the land is no longer unclean. 15 Whenever they find a human bone, they will set up a marker next to it. Then the gravediggers will bury it in “The Valley of Gog's Army” 16 near the town of “Gog's Army.” After that, the land will be pure again.
17 (C) Ezekiel, son of man, I am going to hold a feast on Israel's mountains and offer sacrifices there. So invite all the birds and wild animals to come from every direction and eat the meat of sacrifices and drink the blood. The birds and animals 18 will feast on the bodies of warriors and foreign rulers that I will sacrifice like sheep, goats, and bulls. 19 I want the birds and animals to eat until they are full and drink until they are drunk. 20 They will come to my table and stuff themselves with the flesh of horses and warriors of every kind. I, the Lord God, have spoken.
Israel Will Be Restored
The Lord said:
21 When I punish the nations of the earth, they will see the brightness of my glory. 22 The people of Israel will know from then on that I am the Lord their God. 23 Foreign nations will realize that the Israelites were forced to leave their own land because they sinned against me. I turned my back on my people and let enemies attack and kill them. 24 Their lives were wicked and corrupt, and they deserved to be punished.
25 Now I will show mercy to the people of Israel and bring them back from the nations where they are living. They are Jacob's descendants, so I will bless them and show that I am holy. 26 They will live safely in their own land, but will be ashamed when they remember their evil ways and how they disgraced me.[i] 27 Foreign nations will watch as I take the Israelites from enemy lands and bring them back home, and those nations will see that I am holy.
28 My people will realize that I, the Lord their God, sent them away as prisoners and now will bring them back to their own land. 29 Never again will I turn my back on the people of Israel, and my Spirit will live in them. I, the Lord, have spoken.
Footnotes
- 38.5 Ethiopia: See the note at 29.10.
- 38.13 from villages in: One ancient translation; Hebrew “and soldiers from.”
- 38.13 southern Spain: See the note at 27.12.
- 38.14 when you see: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 38.21 I, the Lord … against you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 39.11 Travelers': Hebrew “Abarim.”
- 39.11 That graveyard … the valley: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 39.11 Gog's Army: Hebrew “Hamon-Gog.”
- 39.26 me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 26.
Isaiah 61
Contemporary English Version
The Good News of Victory
61 (A)(B) The Spirit of the Lord God
has taken control of me!
The Lord has chosen and sent me
to tell the oppressed
the good news,
to heal the brokenhearted,
and to announce freedom
for prisoners and captives.
2 (C) This is the year
when the Lord God
will show kindness to us
and punish our enemies.
The Lord has sent me
to comfort those who mourn,
3 especially in Jerusalem.
He sent me to give them flowers
in place of their sorrow,
olive oil in place of tears,
and joyous praise
in place of broken hearts.
They will be called
“Trees of Justice,”
planted by the Lord
to honor his name.
4 Then they will rebuild cities
that have been in ruins
for many generations.
5 They will hire foreigners
to take care of their sheep
and their vineyards.
6 But they themselves will be
priests and servants
of the Lord our God.
The treasures of the nations
will belong to them,
and they will be famous.[a]
7 They were terribly insulted
and horribly mistreated;
now they will be greatly blessed
and joyful forever.
The Lord Loves Justice
8 I, the Lord, love justice!
But I hate robbery
and injustice.[b]
My people, I solemnly promise
to reward you
with an eternal agreement.
9 Your descendants will be known
in every nation.
All who see them will realize
that they have been blessed,
by me, the Lord.
Celebrate and Shout
10 (D) I celebrate and shout
because of my Lord God.
His saving power and justice
are the very clothes I wear.
They are more beautiful
than the jewelry worn
by a bride or groom.
11 The Lord will bring about
justice and praise
in every nation on earth,
like flowers blooming
in a garden.
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