Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Comfort for God’s People
40 Comfort, comfort(A) my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly(B) to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service(C) has been completed,(D)
that her sin has been paid for,(E)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double(F) for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way(G) for the Lord[a];
make straight(H) in the desert
a highway for our God.[b](I)
4 Every valley shall be raised up,(J)
every mountain and hill(K) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(L)
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory(M) of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.(N)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(O)
6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,(P)
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers(Q) and the flowers fall,
because the breath(R) of the Lord blows(S) on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers(T) fall,
but the word(U) of our God endures(V) forever.(W)”
9 You who bring good news(X) to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c](Y)
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”(Z)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(AA) with power,(AB)
and he rules(AC) with a mighty arm.(AD)
See, his reward(AE) is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(AF)
He gathers the lambs in his arms(AG)
and carries them close to his heart;(AH)
he gently leads(AI) those that have young.(AJ)
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace(A) to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.(B)
9 Surely his salvation(C) is near those who fear him,
that his glory(D) may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness(E) meet together;
righteousness(F) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness(G) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(H)
and our land will yield(I) its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.(A) 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,(B) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient(C) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(D)
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.(E) The heavens will disappear with a roar;(F) the elements will be destroyed by fire,(G) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[a](H)
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward(I) to the day of God and speed its coming.[b](J) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.(K) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,(L) where righteousness dwells.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless(M) and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience(N) means salvation,(O) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.(P)
John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b](B) 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”[c](C)—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[d](D)
4 And so John the Baptist(E) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(F) for the forgiveness of sins.(G) 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,(H) and he ate locusts(I) and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.(J) 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”(K)
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