Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Zion’s Happy Future
35 The (A)wilderness and the desert will rejoice,
And the [a](B)desert will shout for joy and blossom;
Like the crocus
2 It will (C)blossom profusely
And (D)rejoice with joy and jubilation.
The (E)glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of (F)Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the (G)glory of the Lord,
The majesty of our God.
3 (H)Strengthen the [b]exhausted, and make the [c]feeble strong.
4 Say to those with (I)anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with (J)vengeance;
The (K)retribution of God will come,
But He will (L)save you.”
5 Then the (M)eyes of those who are blind will be opened,
And the ears of those who are deaf will be unstopped.
6 Then those who (N)limp will leap like a deer,
And the (O)tongue of those who cannot speak will shout for joy.
For waters will burst forth in the (P)wilderness,
And streams in the [d]desert.
7 The [e]scorched land will become a pool
And the thirsty ground (Q)springs of water;
In the (R)haunt of jackals, its resting place,
Grass becomes reeds and rushes.
8 (S)A highway will be there, (T)a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of (U)Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for the one who walks that way,
And (V)fools will not wander on it.
9 No (W)lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious animal go up on it;
[f]They will not be found there.
But (X)the redeemed will walk there,
10 And (Y)the redeemed of the Lord will return
And come to Zion with joyful shouting,
And everlasting joy will be on their heads.
They will obtain gladness and joy,
And (Z)sorrow and sighing will flee away.
5 (A)Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose (B)hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who (C)made heaven and earth,
The (D)sea and everything that is in them;
Who (E)keeps [a]faith forever;
7 Who (F)executes justice for the oppressed;
Who (G)gives food to the hungry.
The Lord (H)frees the prisoners.
8 The Lord (I)opens the eyes of those who are blind;
The Lord (J)raises up those who are bowed down;
The Lord (K)loves the righteous.
9 The Lord (L)watches over strangers;
He [b](M)supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He [c]thwarts (N)the way of the wicked.
10 The Lord will (O)reign forever,
Your God, Zion, to all generations.
[d]Praise [e]the Lord!
Mary’s Song: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said:
“(A)My soul [a](B)exalts the Lord,
47 And (C)my spirit has rejoiced in (D)God my Savior.
48 For (E)He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant;
For behold, from now on all generations will [b]call me (F)blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50 (G)And His mercy is to generation [c]after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 (H)He has done [d]mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [e]thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has (I)exalted those who were humble.
53 (J)He has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 He has given help to His servant Israel,
[f]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (K)Just as He spoke to our fathers,
(L)To Abraham and his [g]descendants forever.”
Exhortation
7 Therefore be patient, (A)brothers and sisters, (B)until the coming of the Lord. (C)The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until [a]it gets (D)the early and late rains. 8 (E)You too be patient; (F)strengthen your hearts, for (G)the coming of the Lord is (H)near. 9 (I)Do not [b]complain, (J)brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, (K)the Judge is standing [c](L)right at the [d]door. 10 As an example, (M)brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take (N)the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
2 (A)Now while in prison, (B)John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples, 3 and said to Him, “Are You (C)the Coming One, or are we to [a]look for someone else?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 (D)those who are blind receive sight and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the (E)poor have the [b]gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is [c]any person who (F)does not [d]take offense at Me.”
Jesus’ Tribute to John
7 As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into (G)the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 [e]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ [f]palaces! 9 [g]But what did you go out to see? (H)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it [h]is written:
11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.