Psalm 146:5-10

New International Version

⁵Blessed are those^(A) whose help^(B) is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.

⁶He is the Maker of heaven^(C) and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful^(D) forever.
⁷He upholds^(E) the cause of the oppressed^(F)
    and gives food to the hungry.^(G)
The Lord sets prisoners free,^(H)
⁸    the Lord gives sight^(I) to the blind,^(J)
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,^(K)
    the Lord loves the righteous.^(L)
⁹The Lord watches over the foreigner^(M)
    and sustains the fatherless^(N) and the widow,^(O)
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

¹⁰The Lord reigns^(P) forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

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1 Samuel 2:1-8

New International Version

Hannah’s Prayer

2 Then Hannah prayed and said:^(A)

“My heart rejoices^(B) in the Lord;
in the Lord my horn^[a]^(C) is lifted high.
My mouth boasts^(D) over my enemies,^(E)
for I delight in your deliverance.

²“There is no one holy^(F) like^(G) the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock^(H) like our God.

³“Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,^(I)
for the Lord is a God who knows,^(J)
and by him deeds^(K) are weighed.^(L)

⁴“The bows of the warriors are broken,^(M)
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.^(N)
⁵Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry^(O) are hungry no more.
She who was barren^(P) has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

⁶“The Lord brings death and makes alive;^(Q)
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.^(R)
⁷The Lord sends poverty and wealth;^(S)
    he humbles and he exalts.^(T)
⁸He raises^(U) the poor^(V) from the dust^(W)
    and lifts the needy^(X) from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.^(Y)

“For the foundations^(Z) of the earth are the Lord’s;
on them he has set the world.

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Footnotes

1 Samuel 2:1 Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10.

Luke 3:1-18

New International Version

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)^(B)

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate^(C) was governor of Judea, Herod^(D) tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— ²during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,^(E) the word of God came to John^(F) son of Zechariah^(G) in the wilderness. ³He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^(H) ⁴As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.
⁵Every valley shall be filled in,
    every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
    the rough ways smooth.
⁶And all people will see God’s salvation.’”^[a]^(I)

⁷John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!^(J) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^(K) ⁸Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(L) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”^(M)

¹⁰“What should we do then?”^(N) the crowd asked.

¹¹John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”^(O)

¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized.^(P) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

¹³“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”^(Q) he told them.

¹⁴Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely^(R)—be content with your pay.”

¹⁵The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John^(S) might possibly be the Messiah.^(T) ¹⁶John answered them all, “I baptize you with^[b] water.^(U) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.^(V) ¹⁷His winnowing fork^(W) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”^(X) ¹⁸And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.