Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
68 Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,(A)
because he has visited
and provided redemption for his people.(B)
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us(C)
in the house of his servant David,(D)
70 just as he spoke by the mouth
of his holy prophets in ancient times;(E)
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of those who hate us.
72 He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors(F)
and remembered his holy covenant(G)—
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham,(H)
to grant that we,
74 having been rescued
from the hand of our enemies,
would serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called
a prophet of the Most High,(I)
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare his ways,(J)
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins.(K)
78 Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the dawn from on high(L) will visit us
79 to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,(M)
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
5 “I will come to you in judgment, and I will be ready to witness against sorcerers and adulterers; against those who swear falsely; against those who oppress the hired worker, the widow, and the fatherless; and against those who deny justice to the resident alien.(A) They do not fear me,”(B) says the Lord of Armies. 6 “Because I, the Lord, have not changed,(C) you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.[a](D)
Robbing God
7 “Since the days of your ancestors, you have turned from my statutes; you have not kept them.(E) Return to me,(F) and I will return to you,”(G) says the Lord of Armies.
Yet you ask, “How can we return?”
8 “Will a man rob(H) God? Yet you are robbing me!”
“How do we rob you?” you ask.
“By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.(I) 9 You are suffering under a curse, yet[b] you—the whole nation—are still robbing me. 10 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse(J) so that there may be food in my house.(K) Test me in this way,”(L) says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven(M) and pour out a blessing for you without measure.(N) 11 I will rebuke the devourer[c](O) for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the Lord of Armies. 12 “Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of Armies.
Advance of the Gospel
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel,(A) 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word[a](B) fearlessly. 15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry,(C) but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love,(D) knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition,(E) not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives(F) or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice
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