Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Mercy of God Remembered

Psalm 148

¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering. ¹¹ For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of One. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers, ¹² saying:

¹³ And again:

And again:

¹⁴ So then, as the children share in flesh and blood, He likewise took part in these, so that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver those who through fear of death were throughout their lives subject to bondage. ¹⁶ For surely He does not help the angels, but He helps the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things it was necessary for Him to be made like His brothers, so that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For since He Himself suffered while being tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ Now when they departed, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word. For Herod will seek the young Child to kill Him.”

¹⁴ When he rose, he took the young Child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt, ¹⁵ and remained there until the death of Herod, to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called My Son.”^[a]

The Killing of the Infants

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was utterly furious and sent forth and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and the surrounding region, from two years old and under, based on the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet:

The Return From Egypt

¹⁹ But when Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰ saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”

²¹ And he rose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Nevertheless, being warned by God in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. ²³ And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”