Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
3 1 Of the messenger of the Lord, John Baptist, and of Christ’s office.
1 Behold, I will send my [a]messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the [b]Lord whom ye seek, shall speedily come to his Temple: even the [c]messenger of the Covenant, whom ye desire: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
2 But who [d]may abide the day of his coming? and who shall endure, when he appeareth? for he is like a purging fire, and like fuller’s soap.
3 And he shall sit down to try and fine the silver: he shall even fine the sons of [e]Levi and purify them as gold and silver, that they may bring offerings unto the Lord in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be acceptable unto the Lord, as in old time and in the years afore.
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he hath [a]visited (A)and [b]redeemed his people,
69 (B)And hath raised up the [c]horn of salvation unto us, in the house of his servant David,
70 (C)As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which were since the world began, saying,
71 That he would send us deliverance from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us,
72 That he might show mercy towards our fathers: and [d]remember his holy covenant,
73 (D)And the oath, which he sware to our father Abraham.
74 Which was, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
75 All the days of our life, in (E)holiness and righteousness [e]before him.
76 And thou, [f]babe, shalt be called the Prophet of the most High: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 And to [g]give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the [h]remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby (F)the [i]dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of [j]peace.
3 I thank my God, having you in perfect memory,
4 (Always in all my prayers for all you, praying with gladness)
5 Because of the [a]fellowship which ye have in the Gospel, from the [b]first day unto now.
6 And I am persuaded of this same thing, that he that hath begun this good work in you, will perform it until the [c]day of Jesus Christ,
7 As it becometh me so to judge of you all, because I have you in remembrance, that both in my [d]bands, and in my defense, and confirmation of the Gospel you all were partakers of my [e]grace.
8 [f]For God is my record, how I long after you all from the very heart root in Jesus Christ.
9 [g]And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment,
10 That ye may allow those things which are best, that ye may be pure, and without offense, until the day of Christ,
11 Filled with the [h]fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.
3 3 John exhorteth to repentance. 15 His testimony of Christ. 20 Herod putteth him in prison. 21 Christ is baptized. 23 His pedigree.
1 Now [a]in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea, and of the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene,
2 ((A)When [b]Annas and Caiaphas were the high Priests) the word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 (B)And he came into all the coasts about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
4 As it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaiah the Prophet, which saith, (C)The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness is, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and crooked things shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth.
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
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