Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirit(A) of the Sovereign Lord(B) is on me,
because the Lord has anointed(C) me
to proclaim good news(D) to the poor.(E)
He has sent me to bind up(F) the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom(G) for the captives(H)
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor(I)
and the day of vengeance(J) of our God,
to comfort(K) all who mourn,(L)
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown(M) of beauty
instead of ashes,(N)
the oil(O) of joy
instead of mourning,(P)
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting(Q) of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.(R)
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins(S)
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
8 “For I, the Lord, love justice;(A)
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant(B) with them.
9 Their descendants(C) will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”(D)
10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices(E) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,(F)
as a bridegroom adorns his head(G) like a priest,
and as a bride(H) adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden(I) causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness(J)
and praise spring up before all nations.
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored(A) the fortunes of[a] Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.[b]
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,(B)
our tongues with songs of joy.(C)
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things(D) for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things(E) for us,
and we are filled with joy.(F)
Mary’s Song(A)
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord(B)
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(C)
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.(D)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(E)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things(F) for me—
holy is his name.(G)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.(H)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(I)
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(J)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.(K)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(L)
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful(M)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(N) forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
16 Rejoice always,(A) 17 pray continually,(B) 18 give thanks in all circumstances;(C) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.(D) 20 Do not treat prophecies(E) with contempt 21 but test them all;(F) hold on to what is good,(G) 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace,(H) sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul(I) and body be kept blameless(J) at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.(K) 24 The one who calls(L) you is faithful,(M) and he will do it.(N)
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
19 Now this was John’s(A) testimony when the Jewish leaders[a](B) in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”(C)
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”(D)
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”(E)
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness,(F) ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”[b](G)
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with[c] water,”(H) John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me,(I) the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”(J)
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan,(K) where John was baptizing.
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