Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Zion’s Happy Future
35 The (A)wilderness and the desert will be glad,
And the [a](B)Arabah will rejoice and blossom;
Like the crocus
2 It will (C)blossom profusely
And (D)rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy.
The (E)glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of (F)Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the (G)glory of the Lord,
The majesty of our God.
3 (H)Encourage the [b]exhausted, and strengthen the [c]feeble.
4 Say to those with (I)anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with (J)vengeance;
The (K)recompense of God will come,
But He will (L)save you.”
5 Then the (M)eyes of the blind will be opened
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
6 Then the (N)lame will leap like a deer,
And the (O)tongue of the mute will shout for joy.
For waters will break forth in the (P)wilderness
And streams in the [d]Arabah.
7 The [e]scorched land will become a pool
And the thirsty ground (Q)springs of water;
In the (R)haunt of jackals, its resting place,
Grass becomes reeds and rushes.
8 (S)A highway will be there, (T)a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of (U)Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for him who walks that way,
And (V)fools will not wander on it.
9 No (W)lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;
[f]These will not be found there.
But (X)the redeemed will walk there,
10 And (Y)the ransomed of the Lord will return
And come with joyful shouting to Zion,
With everlasting joy upon their heads.
They will [g]find gladness and joy,
And (Z)sorrow and sighing will flee away.
5 How (A)blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose (B)hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who (C)made heaven and earth,
The (D)sea and all that is in them;
Who (E)keeps [a]faith forever;
7 Who (F)executes justice for the oppressed;
Who (G)gives food to the hungry.
The Lord (H)sets the prisoners free.
8 The Lord (I)opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord (J)raises up those who are bowed down;
The Lord (K)loves the righteous;
9 The Lord [b](L)protects the [c]strangers;
He [d](M)supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He [e]thwarts (N)the way of the wicked.
10 The Lord will (O)reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
[f]Praise [g]the Lord!
The Magnificat
46 And Mary said:
“(A)My soul [a](B)exalts the Lord,
47 And (C)my spirit has rejoiced in (D)God my Savior.
48 “For (E)He has had regard for the humble state of His [b]bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me (F)blessed.
49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50 “(G)And His mercy is [c]upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 “(H)He has done [d]mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [e]thoughts of their heart.
52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has (I)exalted those who were humble.
53 “(J)He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
54 “He has given help to Israel His servant,
[f]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (K)As He spoke to our fathers,
(L)To Abraham and his [g]descendants forever.”
Exhortation
7 Therefore be patient, (A)brethren, (B)until the coming of the Lord. (C)The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until [a]it gets (D)the early and late rains. 8 (E)You too be patient; (F)strengthen your hearts, for (G)the coming of the Lord is (H)near. 9 (I)Do not [b]complain, (J)brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, (K)the Judge is standing [c](L)right at the [d]door. 10 As an example, (M)brethren, of suffering and patience, take (N)the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
2 (A)Now when (B)John, [a]while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You (C)the [b]Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 (D)the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the (E)poor have the [c]gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he [d]who (F)does not [e]take offense at Me.”
Jesus’ Tribute to John
7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into (G)the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 [f]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ [g]palaces! 9 [h]But what did you go out to see? (H)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it [i]is written,
11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is [k]least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.