Psalm 112^[a]

The Three Visitors

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham^(A) near the great trees of Mamre^(B) while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent^(C) in the heat of the day. ² Abraham looked up^(D) and saw three men^(E) standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.^(F)

³ He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,^(G) my lord,^[a] do not pass your servant^(H) by. ⁴ Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet^(I) and rest under this tree. ⁵ Let me get you something to eat,^(J) so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

⁶ So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs^[b] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”^(K)

⁷ Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf^(L) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. ⁸ He then brought some curds^(M) and milk^(N) and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.^(O) While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?”^(P) they asked him.

“There, in the tent,^(Q)” he said.

¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,^(R) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”^(S)

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. ¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were already very old,^(T) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.^{(U) 12} So Sarah laughed^(V) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord^(W) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

¹³ Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’^{(X) 14} Is anything too hard for the Lord?^(Y) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,^(Z) and Sarah will have a son.”^(AA)

¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

¹⁶ When the men^(AB) got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.

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

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

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

¹⁴ The 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)

John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(A) who takes away the sin of the world!^{(B) 30} This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’^{(C) 31} I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

³² Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.^{(D) 33} And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water^(E) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’^{(F) 34} I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”^[a](G)