Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord's Mercy Remembered

Praise the Name of the Lord

¹⁰ For it ^(A)was fitting that he, ^(B)for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons ^(C)to glory, should make the ^(D)founder of their salvation ^(E)perfect through suffering. ¹¹ For ^(F)he who sanctifies and ^(G)those who are sanctified ^(H)all have one source.^[a] That is why he is not ashamed to call them ^(I)brothers,^{[b] 12} saying,

¹³ And again,

And again,

¹⁴ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise ^(O)partook of the same things, that ^(P)through death he might ^(Q)destroy ^(R)the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who ^(S)through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he ^(T)helps the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had ^(U)to be made like his brothers in every respect, ^(V)so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest ^(W)in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered ^(X)when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

The Flight to Egypt

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, ^(A)an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” ¹⁴ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt ¹⁵ and remained there until the death of Herod. ^(B)This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ^(C)“Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod Kills the Children

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. ^17 (D)Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

The Return to Nazareth

¹⁹ But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰ saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for ^(G)those who sought the child's life are dead.” ²¹ And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and ^(H)being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. ²³ And he went and lived in a city called ^(I)Nazareth, ^(J)that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”