Readings for Celebrating Advent

⁶⁸ “^(A)Blessed be the ^[a]Lord God of Israel,
For He visited and accomplished ^(B)redemption for His people,
⁶⁹ And raised up a ^(C)horn of salvation for us
In the house of David ^(D)His servant—
^70 (E)As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets ^(F)from of old—
^71 [b](G)Salvation ^(H)from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us,
^72 (I)To show mercy toward our fathers,
^(J)And to remember His holy covenant,
^73 (K)The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
⁷⁴ To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
^75 (L)In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the ^(M)prophet of ^(N)the Most High,
For you will go on ^(O)before the ^[c]Lord to ^(P)make ready His ways,
⁷⁷ To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
^[d]By ^(Q)the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which ^(R)the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
^79 (S)To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To direct our feet into the ^(T)way of peace.”