Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God’s People Brought Home
7 For this is what the Lord says:
Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the chief of the nations!
Proclaim, praise, and say,
“Lord, save Your people,(A)
the remnant of Israel!”
8 Watch! I am going to bring them from the northern land.
I will gather them from remote regions of the earth(B)—
the blind and the lame will be with them,
along with those who are pregnant and those about to give birth.
They will return here as a great assembly!(C)
9 They will come weeping,
but I will bring them back with consolation.[a](D)
I will lead them to wadis filled with water
by a smooth way where they will not stumble,(E)
for I am Israel’s Father,
and Ephraim is My firstborn.
10 Nations, hear the word of the Lord,
and tell it among the far off coastlands!(F)
Say: The One who scattered Israel will gather him.
He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock,
11 for the Lord has ransomed Jacob
and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he.(G)
12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will be radiant with joy(H)
because of(I) the Lord’s goodness,
because of the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil,(J)
and because of the young of the flocks and herds.
Their life will be like an irrigated garden,
and they will no longer grow weak from hunger.
13 Then the young woman will rejoice with dancing,
while young and old men rejoice together.
I will turn their mourning into joy,(K)
give them consolation,
and bring happiness out of grief.
14 I will refresh the priests with an abundance,[b](L)
and My people will be satisfied with My goodness.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
12 Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!(A)
13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your children within you.(B)
14 He endows your territory with prosperity;[a](C)
He satisfies you with the finest wheat.(D)
God’s Rich Blessings
3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.(A) 4 For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.[a](B) In love[b] 5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace(C) that He favored us with in the Beloved.(D)
7 We have redemption in Him(E) through His blood, the forgiveness(F) of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will,(G) according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him(H) 10 for the administration[c] of the days of fulfillment[d]—to bring everything together in the Messiah,(I) both things in heaven and things on earth(J) in Him.(K)
11 We have also received an inheritance[e] in Him, predestined(L) according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope(M) in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.(N)
13 When you heard the message of truth,(O) the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.(P) 14 He is the down payment(Q) of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession,[f] to the praise of His glory.
Prologue
1 In the beginning(A) was the Word,[a](B)
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.(C)
2 He was with God in the beginning.(D)
3 All things were created(E) through Him,(F)
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
4 Life was in Him,[b](G)
and that life was the light(H) of men.
5 That light shines(I) in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome[c] it.(J)
10 He was in the world,
and the world was created(A) through Him,
yet the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to His own,[a]
and His own people[b] did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive(B) Him,(C)
He gave them the right(D) to be[c] children(E) of God,(F)
to those who believe(G) in His name,(H)
13 who were born,(I)
not of blood,[d]
or of the will(J) of the flesh,(K)
or of the will of man,[e]
but of God.(L)
14 The Word(M) became flesh[f](N)
and took up residence[g] among us.
We observed His glory,(O)
the glory as the One and Only(P) Son[h] from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed,
“This was the One of whom I said,
‘The One coming after me(Q) has surpassed me,(R)
because He existed before me.’”)(S)
16 Indeed, we have all received grace(T) after grace
from His fullness,
17 for the law was given through Moses,(U)
grace and truth(V) came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God.[i]
The One and Only(W) Son[j]—
the One who is at the Father’s(X) side[k]—
He has revealed Him.(Y)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.