Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says.
He promises peace to his faithful people.
But they must not turn to foolish ways.
9 I know he’s ready to save those who have respect for him.
Then his glory can be seen in our land.
10 God’s truth and faithful love join together.
His peace and holiness kiss each other.
11 His truth springs up from the earth.
His holiness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will certainly give what is good.
Our land will produce its crops.
13 God’s holiness leads the way in front of him.
It prepares the way for his coming.
6 “I made sure your stomachs were empty in every city.
You did not have enough bread in any of your towns.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
7 “I also held back rain from you.
The time to harvest crops
was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town.
But I held it back from another.
One field had rain.
But another had no rain and dried up.
8 People wandered from town to town to look for water.
But they did not get enough to drink.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
9 “Many times I kept your gardens and vineyards from growing.
I sent hot winds to dry them up completely.
Locusts ate up your fig and olive trees.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
10 “I sent plagues on you,
just as I did on Egypt.
I killed your young men by swords.
I also let the horses you had captured be killed.
I filled your noses with the stink of your camps.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
11 “I destroyed some of you,
just as I did Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick that was pulled out of the fire.
In spite of that, you still have not returned to me,”
announces the Lord.
12 “So, people of Israel, I will judge you.
Because I will do that to you, Israel,
prepare to meet your God!”
13 The Lord forms the mountains.
He creates the wind.
He makes his thoughts known to human beings.
He turns sunrise into darkness.
He rules over even the highest places on earth.
His name is the Lord God Who Rules Over All.
John the Baptist Is Born
57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby. She gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her. They shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day, they came to have the child circumcised. They were going to name him Zechariah, like his father. 60 But his mother spoke up. “No!” she said. “He must be called John.”
61 They said to her, “No one among your relatives has that name.”
62 Then they motioned to his father. They wanted to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 Right away Zechariah could speak again. Right away he praised God. 65 All his neighbors were filled with fear and wonder. Throughout Judea’s hill country, people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it. And because the Lord was with John, they asked, “What is this child going to be?”
Zechariah’s Song
67 John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. He prophesied,
68 “Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel!
He has come to his people and purchased their freedom.
69 He has acted with great power and has saved us.
He did it for those who are from the family line of his servant David.
70 Long ago holy prophets said he would do it.
71 He has saved us from our enemies.
We are rescued from all who hate us.
72 He has been kind to our people of long ago.
He has remembered his holy covenant.
73 He made a promise to our father Abraham.
74 He promised to save us from our enemies.
Then we could serve him without fear.
75 He wants us to be holy and godly as long as we live.
76 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for him.
77 You will tell his people how they can be saved.
You will tell them that their sins can be forgiven.
78 All of that will happen because our God is tender and caring.
His kindness will bring the rising sun to us from heaven.
79 It will shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death.
It will guide our feet on the path of peace.”
80 The child grew up, and his spirit became strong. He lived in the desert until he appeared openly to Israel.
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