Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 126

A Song of ^[a]Ascents.

¹ When the Lord brought back the captives [who returned] to Zion, we were like those who dream [it seemed so unreal].^(A)

² Then were our mouths filled with laughter, and our tongues with singing. Then they said among the nations, The Lord has done great things for them.

³ The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad!

⁴ Turn to freedom our captivity and restore our fortunes, O Lord, as the streams in the South (the Negeb) [are restored by the torrents].

⁵ They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing.

⁶ He who goes forth bearing seed and weeping [at needing his precious supply of grain for sowing] shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

³ Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble and tottering knees.^(A)

⁴ Say to those who are of a fearful and hasty heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance; with the recompense of God He will come and save you.

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

⁶ Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.^(B)

⁷ And the burning sand and the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

¹⁸ And John’s disciples brought him [who was now in prison] word of all these things.

¹⁹ And John summoned to him a certain two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, saying, Are You He Who is to come, or shall we [continue to] look for another?

²⁰ So the men came to Jesus and said, John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, Are You the One Who is to come, or shall we [continue to] look for another?

²¹ In that very hour Jesus was healing many [people] of sicknesses and distressing bodily plagues and evil spirits, and to many who were blind He gave [^[a]a free, gracious, joy-giving gift of] sight.

²² So He replied to them, Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the good news (the Gospel) preached to them.^(A)

²³ And blessed (happy—^[b]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from outward conditions—and ^[c]to be envied) is he who takes no offense in Me and who is not hurt or resentful or annoyed or repelled or made to stumble [^[d]whatever may occur].

²⁴ And the messengers of John having departed, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: What did you go out into the desert to gaze on? A reed shaken and swayed by the wind?

²⁵ Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed up in soft garments? Behold, those who wear fine apparel and live in luxury are in the courts or palaces of kings.

²⁶ What then did you go out to see? A prophet (a forthteller)? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

²⁷ This is the one of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall make ready Your way before You.^(B)

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; but ^[e]he that is inferior [to the other citizens] in the kingdom of God is greater [in incomparable privilege] than he.

²⁹ And all the people who heard Him, even the tax collectors, acknowledged the justice of God [in ^[f]calling them to repentance and in pronouncing future wrath on the impenitent], being baptized with the baptism of John.

³⁰ But the Pharisees and the lawyers [of the Mosaic Law] annulled and rejected and brought to nothing God’s purpose concerning themselves, by [refusing and] not being baptized by him [John].