Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Future Glory of Zion
35 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad,
and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the excellency of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord
and the excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
and support the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, fear not.
Your God will come
with vengeance,
even God with a recompense;
He will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame man shall leap as a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For in the wilderness waters shall break out
and streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool,
and the thirsty land springs of water;
in the habitation of jackals where each lay,
there shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there, a roadway,
and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass on it,
but it shall be for the wayfaring men,
and fools shall not wander on it.
9 No lion shall be there,
nor any ravenous beast shall go up on it;
these shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there,
10 and the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
5 Blessed is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven, and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faithfulness forever,
7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases the prisoners.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
the Lord raises those who are brought down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord preserves the sojourners;
He lifts up the fatherless and widow,
but on the way of the wicked He brings disaster.
10 The Lord shall reign forever,
your God, O Zion, unto all generations.
Praise you the Lord!
The Song of Mary
46 And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant;
surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
50 His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
55 as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”[a]
Patience and Prayer
7 Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Notice how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until he receives the early and late rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is drawing near. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Look, the Judge is standing at the door.
10 My brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.
The Messengers From John the Baptist(A)
2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 and said to Him, “Are You He who should come, or should we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.[a] 6 Blessed is he who does not fall away because of Me.”
7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written:
‘Look, I am sending My messenger before Your face,
who will prepare Your way before You.’[b]
11 Truly I say to you, among those who are born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.