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The Coming Messenger

“Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

“For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

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“I will send my messenger,(A) who will prepare the way before me.(B) Then suddenly the Lord(C) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,(D) whom you desire,(E) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

But who can endure(F) the day of his coming?(G) Who can stand(H) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire(I) or a launderer’s soap.(J) He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;(K) he will purify(L) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.(M) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,(N) and the offerings(O) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.(P)

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Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel thus about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

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Thanksgiving and Prayer

I thank my God every time I remember you.(A) In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray(B) with joy because of your partnership(C) in the gospel from the first day(D) until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion(E) until the day of Christ Jesus.(F)

It is right(G) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart(H) and, whether I am in chains(I) or defending(J) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify(K) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love(L) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,(M) 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,(N) 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness(O) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

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68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74 to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the tender mercy of our God,
when the day shall dawn upon[a] us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:78 Or whereby the dayspring will visit. Other ancient authorities read since the dayspring has visited

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(A)
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.(B)
69 He has raised up a horn[a](C) of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David(D)
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),(E)
71 salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors(F)
    and to remember his holy covenant,(G)
73     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:(H)
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him(I) without fear(J)
75     in holiness and righteousness(K) before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet(L) of the Most High;(M)
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,(N)
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,(O)
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun(P) will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,(Q)
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:69 Horn here symbolizes a strong king.