Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Joyful Return to Zion
A Song of Ascents.
126 When (A)the Lord brought back [a]the captivity of Zion,
(B)We were like those who dream.
2 Then (C)our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the [b]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
8 (A)Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the (B)deaf who have ears.
9 Let all the nations be gathered together,
And let the people be assembled.
(C)Who among them can declare this,
And show us former things?
Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear and say, “It is truth.”
10 “You(D) are My witnesses,” says the Lord,
(E)“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and (F)believe Me,
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.
11 I, even I, (G)am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior.
12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no (H)foreign god among you;
(I)Therefore you are My witnesses,”
Says the Lord, “that I am God.
13 (J)Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will (K)reverse it?”
14 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“For your sake I will send to Babylon,
And bring them all down as fugitives—
The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your (L)King.”
Epaphroditus Praised
25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you (A)Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and (B)fellow soldier, (C)but your messenger and (D)the one who ministered to my need; 26 (E)since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, [a]not regarding his life, (F)to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.
All for Christ
3 Finally, my brethren, (G)rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.