Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
68 “Blessed be Adonai,
God of Israel,
for He has looked after His people
and brought them redemption.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,[a]
70 just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ages past,
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us!
72 So He shows mercy to our fathers
and remembers His holy covenant,[b]
73 the vow which He swore to Abraham
our father, to grant us—
74 rescued fearlessly from the hand of
our enemies[c]—to serve Him,
75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of Elyon.
For you will go before Adonai to prepare His ways,[d]
77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people
through removal of their sins.[e]
78 Through our God’s heart of mercy,
the Sunrise from on high will come upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,[f]
to guide our feet in the way of shalom.”
13 “Your words against Me are grievous,” says Adonai.
Yet you say: “What did we say against You?”
14 You say: “Serving God is worthless.” Also: “What good is it that we kept His service or that we walked as mourners before Adonai-Tzva’ot? 15 So now we are calling the proud blessed. Those who practice iniquity are built up. Indeed, they have tested God, and escaped!”
16 Then those who revere Adonai spoke with each other, and Adonai took notice and heard, and a scroll of remembrance[a] was written before Him, for those who revere Adonai, even those who esteem His Name.
17 “So they shall be Mine,”—says Adonai-Tzva’ot—“in the day I make My own special possession. So I will spare them, as one spares his son serving him. 18 Then you will return and distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.”
18 But what does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in dishonesty or in truth, Messiah is being proclaimed—and in this I rejoice!
To Live Is Messiah
Yes, and I will keep rejoicing, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance, through your intercession and the help of the Ruach of Messiah Yeshua. 20 My eager expectation and hope is that in no way will I be put to shame, but that with complete boldness Messiah will even now, as always, be exalted in my body—whether through life or through death. 21 For to me, to live is Messiah and to die is gain. 22 But if to live on in the body means fruit from my work, what shall I choose? I do not know. 23 I am torn between the two—having a desire to leave and be with Messiah, which is far better; 24 yet for your sake, to remain in the body is more necessary. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith— 26 so that your confidence in Messiah Yeshua might overflow because of me through my coming to you again.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.