Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
2 [a] (A)But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of (B)Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be (C)ruler in Israel,
(D)whose coming forth is (E)from of old,
from ancient days.
3 Therefore he shall give them up (F)until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then (G)the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
4 And he shall stand (H)and shepherd his flock (I)in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now (J)he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be (K)their peace.
Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
(A)“My (B)soul (C)magnifies the Lord,
47 (D)and my (E)spirit rejoices in (F)God my Savior,
48 for (G)he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations (H)will call me blessed;
49 for (I)he who is mighty (J)has done great things for me,
and (K)holy is his name.
50 And (L)his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 (M)He has shown strength with his arm;
(N)he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 (O)he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
(P)and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled (Q)the hungry with good things,
and the rich (R)he has sent away empty.
54 He has (S)helped (T)his servant Israel,
(U)in remembrance of his mercy,
55 (V)as he spoke to our fathers,
(W)to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
Restore Us, O God
To the choirmaster: according to (A)Lilies. A Testimony. Of (B)Asaph, a Psalm.
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead (C)Joseph like (D)a flock.
You who are (E)enthroned upon the cherubim, (F)shine forth.
2 Before (G)Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
(H)stir up your might
and (I)come to save us!
4 O (L)Lord God of hosts,
(M)how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with (N)the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 (O)You make us an object of contention for our (P)neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 (Q)Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
5 Consequently, (A)when Christ[a] came into the world, he said,
(B)“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in (C)sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, (D)“Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will (E)we have been sanctified through the offering of (F)the body of Jesus Christ (G)once for all.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into (A)the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth (B)was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, (C)“Blessed are you among women, and (D)blessed is (E)the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of (F)my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And (G)blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
(A)“My (B)soul (C)magnifies the Lord,
47 (D)and my (E)spirit rejoices in (F)God my Savior,
48 for (G)he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations (H)will call me blessed;
49 for (I)he who is mighty (J)has done great things for me,
and (K)holy is his name.
50 And (L)his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 (M)He has shown strength with his arm;
(N)he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 (O)he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
(P)and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled (Q)the hungry with good things,
and the rich (R)he has sent away empty.
54 He has (S)helped (T)his servant Israel,
(U)in remembrance of his mercy,
55 (V)as he spoke to our fathers,
(W)to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.