Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁷ ¶ I will mention the mercies of the LORD and the praises of the LORD according to all that the LORD has bestowed on us and the greatness of his goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his mercies.

⁸ For he said, Surely they are my people, sons that do not lie: and he was their Saviour.

⁹ In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of his face saved them: with his love and with his clemency he redeemed them; and he bore them and carried them all the days of the age.

¹ ¶ Halelu-JAH. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights.

² Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts.

³ Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light.

⁴ Praise him, ye heavens of heavens and ye waters that are above the heavens.

⁵ Let them praise the name of the LORD; for he commanded, and they were created.

⁶ He has established them for ever and ever: he has made a law which shall not be broken.

⁷ ¶ Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps,

⁸ fire and hail; snow and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word,

⁹ mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars,

¹⁰ beasts and all animals; creeping things and flying fowl,

¹¹ kings of the earth and all the peoples, princes and all judges of the earth,

¹² both young men and maidens, the old with the children,

¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD; for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above earth and heavens.

He

¹⁴ has exalted the horn of his people; let all his merciful ones praise him; even of the sons of Israel, the people near unto him. Halelu-JAH.

¹⁰ ¶ For it was expedient that he, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, preparing to bring forth many sons in his glory, should perfect the author of their saving health through sufferings.

¹¹ For both he that sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

¹² saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.

¹³ And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God has given me.

¹⁴ ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil,

¹⁵ and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to slavery.

¹⁶ For verily he did not take the angels, but he took the seed of Abraham.

¹⁷ Therefore in all things he should be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

¹⁸ For in that he himself has suffered and was tempted, he is also powerful to help those that are tempted.

¹³ ¶ And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in dreams, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt and remain there until I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the young child to kill him.

¹⁴ And awaking, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt

¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

¹⁶ ¶ Then Herod, seeing that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth and sent forth and killed all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had understood of the wise men.

¹⁷ Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

¹⁸ In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Rachel was weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they perished.

¹⁹ ¶ But when Herod was dead, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in dreams to Joseph in Egypt,

²⁰ saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead who sought the death of the young child.

²¹ And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel.

²² But when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Judaea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there; notwithstanding, being warned by divine revelation in dreams, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,

²³ and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets, that he shall be called a Nazarene.