Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people:

⁶⁹ And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant:

⁷⁰ As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning:

⁷¹ Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us:

⁷² To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament,

⁷³ The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us,

⁷⁴ That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear,

⁷⁵ In holiness and justice before him, all our days.

⁷⁶ And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:

⁷⁷ To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins:

⁷⁸ Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:

⁷⁹ To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.

¹³ Your words have been unsufferable to me, saith the Lord.

¹⁴ And you have said: What have we spoken against thee? You have said: He laboureth in vain that serveth God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked sorrowful before the Lord of hosts?

¹⁵ Wherefore now we call the proud people happy, for they that work wickedness are built up, and they have tempted God and are preserved.

¹⁶ Then they that feared the Lord spoke every one with his neighbour: and the Lord gave ear, and heard it: and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that fear the Lord, and think on his name.

¹⁷ And they shall be my special possession, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I do judgment: and I will spare them, as a man spareth his son that serveth him.

¹⁸ And you shall return, and shall see the difference between the just and the wicked: and between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.

¹⁸ But what then? So that by all means, whether by occasion, or by truth, Christ be preached: in this also I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

¹⁹ For I know that this shall fall out to me unto salvation, through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

²⁰ According to my expectation and hope; that in nothing I shall be confounded, but with all confidence, as always, so now also shall Christ be magnified in my body, wither it be by life, or by death.

²¹ For to me, to live is Christ; and to die is gain.

²² And if to live in the flesh, this is to me the fruit of labour, and what I shall choose I know not.

²³ But I am straitened between two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, a thing by far the better.

²⁴ But to abide still in the flesh, is needful for you.

²⁵ And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith:

²⁶ That your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, by my coming to you again.