Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the [a]rose. 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the glory of Jehovah, the excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the [b]feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a [c]fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: [d]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 as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7 And the [e]glowing sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water: in the habitation of jackals, where they lay, shall be [f]grass with reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for [g]the redeemed: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up thereon; they shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 and the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in Jehovah his God:
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that in them is;
Who keepeth truth for ever;
7 Who executeth justice for the oppressed;
Who giveth food to the hungry.
Jehovah looseth the prisoners;
8 Jehovah openeth the eyes of the blind;
Jehovah raiseth up them that are bowed down;
Jehovah loveth the righteous;
9 Jehovah preserveth the sojourners;
He upholdeth the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked he [a]turneth upside down.
10 Jehovah will reign for ever,
Thy God, O Zion, unto all generations.
[b]Praise ye Jehovah.
46 And Mary said,
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath looked upon the low estate of his [a]handmaid:
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;
And holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is unto generations and generations
On them that fear him.
51 He hath showed strength with his arm;
He hath scattered the proud [b]in the imagination of their heart.
52 He hath put down princes from their thrones,
And hath exalted them of low degree.
53 The hungry he hath filled with good things;
And the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath given help to Israel his servant,
That he might remember mercy
55 (As he spake unto our fathers)
Toward Abraham and his seed for ever.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, until the [a]coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until [b]it receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors. 10 Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord.
2 Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Christ, he sent by his disciples 3 and said unto him, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things which ye hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have [a]good tidings preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.
7 And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft raiment are in kings’ houses. 9 [b]But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 10 This is he, of whom it is written,
[c]Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
Who shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is [d]but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
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