Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Lord’s Message of Freedom
61 The Lord God has put his Spirit in me,
because the Lord has ·appointed [anointed] me to ·tell [bring] the good news to the poor.
He has sent me to ·comfort [bind up] those whose hearts are broken,
to tell the captives they are free,
and to tell the prisoners they are released.
2 He has sent me to announce the ·time when the Lord will show his kindness [year of the Lord’s favor; C an allusion to the Year of Jubilee; Lev. 25:10; Luke 4:18–19]
and the ·time when our God will punish evil people [L day of vengeance of our God].
He has sent me to comfort all those who ·are sad [mourn]
3 and to help the ·sorrowing [mourning] people of ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C location of the Temple; 59:20].
I will give them a ·crown [garland; headdress] to replace their ashes,
and the oil of ·gladness [joy] to replace their ·sorrow [mourning],
and ·clothes [a garment] of praise to replace their ·spirit of sadness [discouragement; heavy heart].
Then they will be called ·Trees of Goodness [or Oaks of Righteousness],
trees planted by the Lord to show his ·greatness [glory; C manifest presence].
4 They will rebuild the ·old [ancient] ruins
and restore the places destroyed long ago [58:12].
They will repair the ruined cities
that were destroyed for ·so long [generations].
8 “I, the Lord, love justice.
I hate ·stealing [robbery] and ·everything that is wrong [wrongdoing].
·I will be fair and give my people what they should have [L I will reward/give wages in truth/faithfulness],
and I will make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with them that will continue forever.
9 ·Everyone in all nations will know the children of my people [L Their descendants/seed will be known among the nations/Gentiles],
and their ·children [offspring] will be known among the ·nations [peoples].
Anyone who sees them will know
that they are ·people [descendants; seed] the Lord has blessed.”
10 I will ·rejoice [delight] greatly in the Lord;
·all that I am [my soul] ·rejoices [exults] in my God.
He has covered me with ·clothes [garments] of salvation
and wrapped me with a ·coat [robe] of ·goodness [righteousness],
like a bridegroom ·dressed for his wedding [or who adorns himself with a headdress like a priest],
like a bride ·dressed in [adorns herself with] jewels.
11 [L For as] The earth causes plants to grow,
and a garden causes the seeds planted in it to grow.
In the same way the Lord God will make ·goodness [righteousness] and praise
·come [sprout; spring up] ·from [or before; in front of] all the nations.
Lord, Bring Your People Back
A song ·for going up to worship [of ascents; C perhaps sung while traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate an annual religious festival like Passover].
126 When the Lord ·brought the prisoners back to [brought back those who returned to; or restored the fortunes of] Jerusalem [L Zion; C probably the return from the exile; 2 Chr. 36:22–23; Ezra 1],
it seemed as if we were dreaming [C so surprised and happy that it did not seem real].
2 Then ·we [L our mouths] were filled with laughter,
and ·we [L our tongues] ·sang happy songs [shouted joyfully].
Then the other nations said,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we ·are very glad [rejoice].
4 Lord, ·return our prisoners [bring back those who return; or restore our fortunes] again,
as you bring streams to the ·desert [L Negev; C an arid area in the south of Israel].
5 Those who cry as they ·plant crops [sow; plant seed]
will ·sing [shout for joy] at harvest time.
6 Those who ·cry [L go out weeping]
as they carry out the ·seeds [L bag with seeds]
will return singing
and carrying ·bundles of grain [sheaves].
Mary Praises God
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul ·praises [exalts; glorifies; magnifies] the Lord [1 Sam. 2:1–10];
47 my ·heart [spirit] rejoices in God my Savior [Ps. 35:9],
48 because he has ·shown his concern for [noticed; looked favorably on] his ·humble [lowly] servant girl [1 Sam. 1:11].
[L For look/T behold] From now on, all ·people [L generations] will ·say that I am [call me] blessed [Ps. 138:6],
49 because the ·Powerful [Mighty] One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 ·God will show his mercy [L His mercy is/continues] ·forever and ever [L to generations and generations]
to those who ·worship and serve [L fear; reverence] him [Ps. 103:17].
51 He has done mighty deeds ·by his power [L with his arm; C a metaphor for strength].
He has scattered the people who are proud
·and think great things about themselves [or in the schemes they devise; L in the thoughts/intentions of their hearts].
52 He has brought down ·rulers [the powerful] from their thrones
and ·raised up [exalted] the ·humble [lowly].
53 He has filled the hungry with good things [Ps. 107:9]
and sent the rich away ·with nothing [empty-handed].
54 He has helped his servant, the people of Israel,
·remembering to show them [mindful of his] mercy
55 as he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his ·children [descendants; L seed] forever [Gen. 17:7, 19].”
16 Always ·be joyful [rejoice]. 17 Pray ·continually [without ceasing], 18 and give thanks ·whatever happens [in all circumstances; in everything]. That is ·what God wants [God’s will] for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not ·hold back the work of [stifle; quench; extinguish] the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not treat ·prophecy [L prophecies; C occurring in the church] ·as if it were unimportant [with contempt]. 21 But test everything. ·Keep [Hold on to] what is good, 22 and stay away from ·everything that is [every form/kind of] evil.
23 Now may God himself, the God of peace, ·make you holy in every way [sanctify you completely/through and through]. May your whole self—spirit, soul, and body—be kept ·faultless [blameless] when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24 The One who calls you is ·trustworthy [faithful], and he will ·do this [make this happen].
6 There was a man named John [C the Baptist; Matt. 3; Luke 3] who was sent by God. 7 He came to ·tell people the truth [testify; bear witness] about the Light so that ·through him all people could hear about the Light and believe [L everyone might believe through him]. 8 John was not the Light, but he came to ·tell people the truth [testify; bear witness] about the Light. *
John the Baptist Tells People About Jesus(A)
19 Here is the ·truth John told [testimony John gave; witness of John; 1:6] when the ·leaders [Jewish leadership; L Jews; C John often uses the term “Jews” to refer to the religious leaders in opposition to Jesus, rather than to the Jewish people generally] in Jerusalem sent ·priests and Levites [C the religious authorities; priests oversaw temple worship; Levites were members of the tribe of Levi who assisted them; 1 Chr. 23:24–32] to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 John ·spoke freely [confessed] and did not ·refuse to answer [deny it]. He said, “I am not the ·Christ [Messiah].”
21 So they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” [C Elijah, an OT prophet, was expected to come back before the Messiah; 1 Kin. 17—2 Kin. 2; Mal. 4:5–6.]
He answered, “No, I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?” [C the Prophet like Moses predicted in Deut. 18:15–19] they asked.
He answered, “No.”
22 Then they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to tell those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John told them in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“I am the voice of one
calling out in the ·desert [wilderness]:
‘Make ·the road straight [a clear path] for the Lord [Is. 40:3].’”
24 Some Pharisees [C a religious party which strictly observed OT laws and later customs] who had been sent asked John: 25 “If you are not the ·Christ [Messiah] or Elijah or the Prophet [1:21], why do you baptize people?”
26 John answered, “I baptize with water, but there is one here with you that you don’t ·know about [recognize]. 27 He is the One who comes after me. I am not ·good enough [worthy; fit] to untie the ·strings [straps] of his sandals.” [C Removing sandals was the task of a slave.]
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River [C a site east of the Jordan River, not the Bethany near Jerusalem], where John was baptizing people.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.