Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Thanksgiving for Return from Captivity.
A Song of Ascents.
126 When the Lord (A)brought back [a]the captives of Zion,
We were (B)like those who dream.
2 Then our (C)mouth was filled with laughter
And our (D)tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has (E)done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
We are (F)joyful.
Israel Is God’s Witness
8 Bring out the people who are (A)blind, even though they have eyes,
And those who are deaf, even though they have ears.
9 All the nations have (B)gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can (C)declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present (D)their witnesses so (E)that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are (F)My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And (G)My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that (H)I am He.
(I)Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.
11 I, only I, am the Lord,
And there is no (J)savior (K)besides Me.
12 It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
And there was no (L)strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“And I am God.
13 Even [a](M)from eternity (N)I am He,
And there is (O)no one who can rescue from My hand;
(P)I act, and who can reverse it?”
Babylon to Be Destroyed
14 This is what the Lord your (Q)Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:
25 But I thought it necessary to send to you (A)Epaphroditus, my brother and (B)fellow worker and (C)fellow soldier, who is also your [a](D)messenger and (E)minister to my need, 26 because he was longing [b]for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29 (F)Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and (G)hold people like him in high regard, 30 because he came close to death [c](H)for the work of Christ, risking his life to (I)compensate [d]for your absence in your service to me.
The Goal of Life
3 Finally, my brothers and sisters, (J)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.
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