Isaiah 45:20-25

New International Version

²⁰“Gather together^(A) and come;
    assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant^(B) are those who carry^(C) about idols of wood,
    who pray to gods that cannot save.^(D)
²¹Declare what is to be, present it—
    let them take counsel together.
Who foretold^(E) this long ago,
    who declared it from the distant past?^(F)
Was it not I, the Lord?
    And there is no God apart from me,^(G)
a righteous God^(H) and a Savior;^(I)
    there is none but me.

²²“Turn^(J) to me and be saved,^(K)
    all you ends of the earth;^(L)
    for I am God, and there is no other.^(M)
²³By myself I have sworn,^(N)
    my mouth has uttered in all integrity^(O)
    a word that will not be revoked:^(P)
Before me every knee will bow;^(Q)
    by me every tongue will swear.^(R)
²⁴They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
    are deliverance^(S) and strength.^(T)’”
All who have raged against him
    will come to him and be put to shame.^(U)
²⁵But all the descendants^(V) of Israel
    will find deliverance^(W) in the Lord
    and will make their boast in him.^(X)

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Psalm 111

New International Version

Psalm 111^[a]

¹Praise the Lord.^[b]

I will extol the Lord^(A) with all my heart^(B)
in the council^(C) of the upright and in the assembly.^(D)

²Great are the works^(E) of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all^(F) who delight in them.
³Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures^(G) forever.
⁴He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.^(H)
⁵He provides food^(I) for those who fear him;^(J)
    he remembers his covenant^(K) forever.

⁶He has shown his people the power of his works,^(L)
    giving them the lands of other nations.^(M)
⁷The works of his hands^(N) are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.^(O)
⁸They are established for ever^(P) and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
⁹He provided redemption^(Q) for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome^(R) is his name.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord^(S) is the beginning of wisdom;^(T)
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.^(U)
To him belongs eternal praise.^(V)

Footnotes

Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 111:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah

Luke 2:25-40

New International Version

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.^(A) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,^(B) and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,^(C) ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,^(D)
    you may now dismiss^[a] your servant in peace.^(E)
³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation,^(F)
³¹    which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”^(G)

³³The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:^(H) “This child is destined to cause the falling^(I) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶There was also a prophet,^(J) Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[b]^(K) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.^(L) ³⁸Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.^(M)

³⁹When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.^(N) ⁴⁰And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.^(O)

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Footnotes

Luke 2:29 Or promised, / now dismiss
Luke 2:37 Or then had been a widow for eighty-four years.

Colossians 3:12-17

New International Version

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves^(A) with compassion, kindness, humility,^(B) gentleness and patience.^(C) ¹³Bear with each other^(D) and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.^(E) ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love,^(F) which binds them all together in perfect unity.^(G)

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ^(H) rule in your hearts, since as members of one body^(I) you were called to peace.^(J) And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the message of Christ^(K) dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom^(L) through psalms,^(M) hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.^(N) ¹⁷And whatever you do,^(O) whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks^(P) to God the Father through him.