Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
God’s Promise to David(A)
7 After the king was settled in his palace(B) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies(C) around him,(D) 2 he said to Nathan(E) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house(F) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”(G)
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,(H) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you(I) the one to build me a house to dwell in?(J) 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.(K) I have been moving from place to place with a tent(L) as my dwelling.(M) 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,(N) did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd(O) my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house(P) of cedar?(Q)”’
8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,(R) and appointed you ruler(S) over my people Israel.(T) 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone,(U) and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.(V) Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.(W) 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant(X) them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.(Y) Wicked(Z) people will not oppress them anymore,(AA) as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[a](AB) over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.(AC)
“‘The Lord declares(AD) to you that the Lord himself will establish(AE) a house(AF) for you:
Mary’s Song(A)
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord(B)
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(C)
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.(D)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(E)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things(F) for me—
holy is his name.(G)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.(H)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(I)
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(J)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.(K)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(L)
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful(M)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(N) forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
Psalm 89[a]
A maskil[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing(A) of the Lord’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known(B)
through all generations.
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.(C)
3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
4 ‘I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.’”[c](D)
19 Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have raised up a young man from among the people.
20 I have found David(A) my servant;(B)
with my sacred oil(C) I have anointed(D) him.
21 My hand will sustain him;
surely my arm will strengthen him.(E)
22 The enemy will not get the better of him;(F)
the wicked will not oppress(G) him.
23 I will crush his foes before him(H)
and strike down his adversaries.(I)
24 My faithful love will be with him,(J)
and through my name his horn[a] will be exalted.
25 I will set his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers.(K)
26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,(L)
my God, the Rock(M) my Savior.’(N)
25 Now to him who is able(A) to establish you in accordance with my gospel,(B) the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery(C) hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings(D) by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from[a] faith(E)— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.(F)
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel(A) to Nazareth,(B) a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,(C) a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,(D) Mary; you have found favor with God.(E) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.(F) 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.(G) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,(H) 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom(I) will never end.”(J)
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,(K) and the power of the Most High(L) will overshadow you. So the holy one(M) to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.(N) 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child(O) in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”(P)
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
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