Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 126
Zion’s Restoration
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,[a]
we were like those who dream.(A)
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter then,(B)
and our tongues with shouts of joy.(C)
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”(D)
3 The Lord had done great things for us;
we were joyful.(E)
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
steady the shaking knees!(A)
4 Say to the cowardly:
“Be strong; do not fear!
Here is your God; vengeance is coming.(B)
God’s retribution is coming; he will save you.”(C)
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.(D)
6 Then the lame will leap like a deer,(E)
and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy,(F)
for water will gush in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;(G)
7 the parched ground will become a pool,
and the thirsty land, springs.(H)
In the haunt of jackals,(I) in their lairs,
there will be grass, reeds, and papyrus.
In Praise of John the Baptist
18 Then John’s disciples told him about all these things.(A) So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one(B) who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
20 When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”
21 At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases,(C) afflictions, and evil spirits,(D) and he granted sight to many blind people.(E) 22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear,(F) the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,(G) 23 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”
24 After John’s messengers left, he began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who are splendidly dressed and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?(H) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:
28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John,[c] but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29 (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.(J) 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law(K) had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.(L))
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