Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. ⁶⁹ And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, ⁷⁰ just as he promised by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began: ⁷¹ that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us, ⁷² to fulfil the mercy promised to our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, ⁷³ and to perform the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, ⁷⁴ to give us, so that we, delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear all the days of our life, ⁷⁵ in such holiness and righteousness as are accepted before him.

⁷⁶ And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest. For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, ⁷⁷ and to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the remission of sins, ⁷⁸ through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us, ⁷⁹ to give light to those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

¹¹ strengthened with all might through his glorious power to have all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness, ¹² and giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of saints in light. ¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through his blood; that is to say, the forgiveness of sins.

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, and the first begotten of all creatures. ¹⁶ For by him were all things created: things that are in heaven and things that are in earth, things visible and things invisible, whether they be majesty, or lordship, or rule, or power. All things are created by him and in him, ¹⁷ and he is before all things, and in him all things have their being.

¹⁸ And he is the head of the body; that is to say, of the congregation. He is the beginning and first begotten of the dead, so that in all things he may have the pre-eminence. ¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by him to reconcile all things to himself, and to set at peace by him, through the blood of his cross, both things in heaven and things in earth.

³³ And when they came to the place that is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the evil-doers also, one on the right hand and the other on the left. ³⁴ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

And they divided up his garments and cast lots for them. ³⁵ And the people stood and looked on. And the leaders mocked him with them, saying, He helped other men; let him help himself, if he is Christ, the chosen of God. ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, and came and gave him vinegar, ³⁷ and said, If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. ³⁸ And a superscription was written over him in Greek, in Latin, and Hebrew: this is the king of the jews.

³⁹ And one of the evil-doers who hung there railed on him, saying, If you are the Christ, save yourself and us. ⁴⁰ But the other answered and rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, seeing that you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are rightly punished, for we receive according to our deeds, but this man has done nothing amiss. ⁴² And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ⁴³ And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise.