Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
The Lord Exalts the Humble.
113 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
(A)Praise, O (B)servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord.
2 (C)Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
3 (D)From the rising of the sun to its setting
The (E)name of the Lord is to be praised.
4 The Lord is (F)high above all nations;
His (G)glory is above the heavens.
5 (H)Who is like the Lord our God,
Who (I)is enthroned on high,
6 Who [c](J)humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in heaven and in the earth?
7 He (K)raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 To make them (L)sit with [d]princes,
With the [e]princes of His people.
9 He (M)makes the barren woman abide in the house
As a joyful mother of children.
[f]Praise [g]the Lord!
The Blindness of the People
14 “(A)I have kept silent for a long time,
I have kept still and restrained Myself.
Now like a woman in labor I will groan,
I will both gasp and pant.
15 “I will (B)lay waste the mountains and hills
And wither all their vegetation;
I will (C)make the rivers into coastlands
And dry up the ponds.
16 “I will (D)lead the blind by a way they do not know,
In paths they do not know I will guide them.
I will (E)make darkness into light before them
And (F)rugged places into plains.
These are the things I will do,
And I will (G)not leave them undone.”
17 They will be turned back and be (H)utterly put to shame,
Who trust in [a]idols,
Who say to molten images,
“You are our gods.”
18 (I)Hear, you deaf!
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My (J)servant,
Or so deaf as My (K)messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as he that is [b](L)at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 (M)You have seen many things, but you do not observe them;
Your ears are open, but none hears.
21 The Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake
To make the law (N)great and glorious.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 (A)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named [a]Zacharias, of the (B)division of [b]Abijah; and he had a wife [c]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both (C)righteous in the sight of God, walking (D)blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in [d]years.
8 Now it happened that while (E)he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot (F)to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer (G)outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And (H)an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and (I)fear [e]gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “(J)Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and (K)you will [f]give him the name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will (L)drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [g]while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will (M)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will (N)go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of (O)Elijah, (P)to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to (Q)make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For (R)I am an old man and my wife is advanced in [h]years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am (S)Gabriel, who [i](T)stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he (U)kept [j]making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she [k]kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to (V)take away my disgrace among men.”
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