Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Greatness of God
40 “(A)Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
2 “(B)Speak [a]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her [b](C)warfare has ended,
That her [c](D)iniquity has been removed,
That she has received of the Lord’s hand
(E)Double for all her sins.”
3 (F)A voice [d]is calling,
“(G)Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
4 “Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5 [e]Then the (H)glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And (I)all flesh will see it together;
For the (J)mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Call out.”
Then [f]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
(K)All flesh is grass, and all its [g]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7 The (L)grass withers, the flower fades,
[h]When the (M)breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (N)the word of our God stands forever.
9 Get yourself up on a (O)high mountain,
O Zion, bearer of (P)good news,
Lift up your voice mightily,
O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;
Lift it up, do not fear.
Say to the (Q)cities of Judah,
“(R)Here is your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord [i]God will come (S)with might,
With His (T)arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His (U)reward is with Him
And His recompense before Him.
11 Like a shepherd He will (V)tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
8 [a]I will hear what God the Lord will say;
For He will (A)speak peace to His people, [b]to His godly ones;
But let them not (B)turn back to [c]folly.
9 Surely (C)His salvation is near to those who [d]fear Him,
That (D)glory may dwell in our land.
10 (E)Lovingkindness and [e]truth have met together;
(F)Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 [f]Truth (G)springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 Indeed, (H)the Lord will give what is good,
And our (I)land will yield its produce.
13 (J)Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, (A)beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and (B)a thousand years like one day. 9 (C)The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but (D)is patient toward you, (E)not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
A New Heaven and Earth
10 But (F)the day of the Lord (G)will come like a thief, in which (H)the heavens (I)will pass away with a roar and the (J)elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and (K)the earth and [a]its works will be [b]burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 (L)looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which (M)the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the (N)elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His (O)promise we are looking for (P)new heavens and a new earth, (Q)in which righteousness dwells.
14 (R)Therefore, (S)beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be (T)found by Him in peace, (U)spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the (V)patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also (W)our beloved brother Paul, (X)according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
Preaching of John the Baptist
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, (A)the Son of God.
2 (B)As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“(C)Behold, I send My messenger [a]ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way;
3 (D)The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight.’”
4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness [b](E)preaching a baptism of repentance for the (F)forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore (G)a leather belt around his waist, and [c]his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was [d]preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8 I baptized you [e]with water; but He will baptize you [f]with the Holy Spirit.”
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