Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁴⁶ Mary said, `My heart is praising the Lord.

⁴⁷ And my spirit is happy because God has saved me.

⁴⁸ He has remembered his servant even though she is not a great person. From now on all people of all times will say God has blessed me.

⁴⁹ He who has all power has done a big work for me. His name is holy.

⁵⁰ `He is kind to people of all times who respect him.

⁵¹ He has shown how strong he is with his arm. He has taken away people who were proud in their hearts.

⁵² He has moved big rulers from power, and those that were not great he has made great.

⁵³ He has given hungry people good things to eat, and sent away the rich people with nothing.

⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel.

⁵⁵ He has remembered to be kind just as he said to our fathers of long ago. He promised to be kind to Abraham and his children's children for ever.'

⁵ That is why Christ said when he came into the world, `You did not want sacrifices and gifts. But you made a body for me.

⁶ Animals that are burned for sacrifices, and animals killed to clean away the wrong things that people do, did not satisfy you.

⁷ Then I said, "See, I have come to do what you, God, want me to do." This is what is written about me in the book of the law.'

⁸ First he said, `You did not want sacrifices and gifts, and animals that are given to be burned as sacrifices, and animals killed to clean away people's wrong ways. You did not like them.' These sacrifices are made to obey the law.

⁹ Then he said, `See, I have come to do what you want me to do.' He took away the first kind of sacrifices so that the second kind would remain.

¹⁰ God wanted us to be made holy. We have been made holy by Jesus Christ. He made us holy by once making his body a sacrifice.