Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
God’s secret plan unveiled at last
3 It’s because of all this that I, Paul, the prisoner of Messiah Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles . . .
2 I’m assuming, by the way, that you’ve heard about the plan of God’s grace that was given to me to pass on to you? 3 You know—the secret purpose that God revealed to me, as I wrote briefly just now? 4 Anyway . . .
When you read this you’ll be able to understand the special insight I have into the Messiah’s secret. 5 This wasn’t made known to human beings in previous generations, but now it’s been revealed by the spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 The secret is this: that, through the gospel, the Gentiles are to share Israel’s inheritance. They are to become fellow members of the body, along with them, and fellow sharers of the promise in Messiah Jesus.
7 This is the gospel that I was appointed to serve, in line with the free gift of God’s grace that was given to me. It was backed up with the power through which God accomplishes his work.
Wisdom for the rulers
8 I am the very least of all God’s people. However, he gave me this task as a gift: that I should be the one to tell the Gentiles the good news of the Messiah’s wealth, wealth no one could begin to count. 9 My job is to make clear to everyone just what the secret plan is, the purpose that’s been hidden from the very beginning of the world in God who created all things. 10 This is it: that God’s wisdom, in all its rich variety, was to be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places—through the church!
11 This was God’s eternal purpose, and he’s accomplished it in Messiah Jesus our Lord. 12 We have confidence, and access to God, in him, in full assurance, through his faithfulness.
The Magi visit Jesus
2 When Jesus was born, in Bethlehem of Judaea, at the time when Herod was king, some wise and learned men came to Jerusalem from the East.
2 “Where is the one,” they asked, “who has been born to be king of the Jews? We have seen his star rising in the East, and we have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this, he was very disturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and inquired from them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 “In Bethlehem of Judaea,” they replied. “That’s what it says in the prophet:
6 You, Bethlehem, in Judah’s land
are not the least of Judah’s princes;
from out of you will come the ruler
who will shepherd Israel my people.”
7 Then Herod called the wise men to him in secret. He found out from them precisely when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem.
“Off you go,” he said, “and make a thorough search for the child. When you find him, report back to me, so that I can come and worship him too.”
9 When they heard what the king said, they set off. There was the star, the one they had seen rising in the East, going ahead of them! It went and stood still over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were beside themselves with joy and excitement. 11 They went into the house and saw the child, with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure-chests and gave him presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
12 They were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they returned to their own country by a different route.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.