Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.
Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!"
See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.
On the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
After the reading of the law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, ‘Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it.’
So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak: ‘You Israelites, and others who fear God, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
After he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance
for about four hundred fifty years. After that he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.
Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years.
When he had removed him, he made David their king. In his testimony about him he said, “I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.”
Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised;
before his coming John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
And as John was finishing his work, he said, “What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandals on his feet.’
‘My brothers, you descendants of Abraham’s family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.
1 Lord, you were gracious to your land; *
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the offence of your people *
and covered all their sins.
3 You laid aside all your fury *
and turned from your wrathful indignation.
4 Restore us again, O God our Saviour, *
and let your anger cease from us.
5 Will you be displeased with us for ever? *
Will you stretch out your wrath from one generation to another?
6 Will you not give us life again, *
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your mercy, O Lord, *
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what the Lord God will say, *
for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful,
that they turn not again to folly.
9 Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him, *
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together, *
righteousness and peace have kissed each other;
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth *
and righteousness look down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give all that is good, *
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him *
and direct his steps in the way.
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father.
But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’
They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’
Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him.
He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.
Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea.
All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us
that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’
The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
Evening Prayer I
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, *
and all that is within me bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, *
and forget not all his benefits;
3 Who forgives all your sins *
and heals all your infirmities;
4 Who redeems your life from the Pit *
and crowns you with faithful love and compassion;
5 Who satisfies you with good things, *
so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
6 The Lord executes righteousness *
and judgement for all who are oppressed.
7 He made his ways known to Moses *
and his works to the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.
9 He will not always accuse us, *
neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, *
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, *
so great is his mercy upon those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, *
so far has he set our sins from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, *
so is the Lord merciful towards those who fear him.
14 For he knows of what we are made; *
he remembers that we are but dust.
15 Our days are but as grass; *
we flourish as a flower of the field;
16 For as soon as the wind goes over it, it is gone, *
and its place shall know it no more.
17 But the merciful goodness of the Lord is from of old
and endures for ever on those who fear him, *
and his righteousness on children’s children;
18 On those who keep his covenant *
and remember his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven, *
and his kingdom has dominion over all.
20 Bless the Lord, you angels of his, *
you mighty ones who do his bidding
and hearken to the voice of his word.
21 Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, *
you ministers of his who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion; *
bless the Lord, O my soul.
Then Elijah arose, a prophet like fire,
and his word burned like a torch.
He brought a famine upon them,
and by his zeal he made them few in number.
By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens,
and also three times brought down fire.
How glorious you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
Whose glory is equal to yours?
You raised a corpse from death
and from Hades, by the word of the Most High.
You sent kings down to destruction,
and famous men, from their sickbeds.
You heard rebuke at Sinai
and judgements of vengeance at Horeb.
You anointed kings to inflict retribution,
and prophets to succeed you.
You were taken up by a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with horses of fire.
At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined
to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury,
to turn the hearts of parents to their children,
and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
Happy are those who saw you
and were adorned with your love!
For we also shall surely live.
In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.
But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty,
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.
Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.
Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.
But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’
Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’
The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary.
When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak.
When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
Morning Prayer
1 God has taken his stand in the council of heaven; *
in the midst of the gods he gives judgement:
2 ‘How long will you judge unjustly *
and show such favour to the wicked?
3 ‘You were to judge the weak and the orphan; *
defend the right of the humble and needy;
4 ‘Rescue the weak and the poor; *
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 ‘They have no knowledge or wisdom;
they walk on still in darkness: *
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 ‘Therefore I say that though you are gods *
and all of you children of the Most High,
7 ‘Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals *
and fall like one of their princes.’
8 Arise, O God and judge the earth, *
for it is you that shall take all nations for your possession.
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, *
for he has done marvellous things.
2 His own right hand and his holy arm *
have won for him the victory.
3 The Lord has made known his salvation; *
his deliverance has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness
towards the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
5 Sound praises to the Lord, all the earth; *
break into singing and make music.
6 Make music to the Lord with the lyre, *
with the lyre and the voice of melody.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
sound praises before the Lord, the King.
8 Let the sea thunder and all that fills it, *
the world and all that dwell upon it.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands *
and let the hills ring out together before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
10 In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity.
See, I am sending 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--indeed, 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 descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.
After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized.
John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized
—John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.
Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew.
They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’
John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.”
He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled.
He must increase, but I must decrease.’
Evening Prayer II
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, *
you that led Joseph like a flock;
2 Shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, *
before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
3 Stir up your mighty strength *
and come to our salvation.
4 Turn us again, O God; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
5 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angry at your people’s prayer?
6 You feed them with the bread of tears; *
you give them abundance of tears to drink.
7 You have made us the derision of our neighbours, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
8 Turn us again, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
9 You brought a vine out of Egypt; *
you drove out the nations and planted it.
10 You made room around it, *
and when it had taken root, it filled the land.
11 The hills were covered with its shadow *
and the cedars of God by its boughs.
12 It stretched out its branches to the Sea *
and its tendrils to the River.
13 Why then have you broken down its wall, *
so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
14 The wild boar out of the wood tears it off, *
and all the insects of the field devour it.
15 Turn again, O God of hosts, *
look down from heaven and behold;
16 Cherish this vine which your right hand has planted, *
and the branch that you made so strong for yourself.
17 Let those who burnt it with fire, who cut it down, *
perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
18 Let your hand be upon the man at your right hand, *
the son of man you made so strong for yourself.
19 And so will we not go back from you; *
give us life, and we shall call upon your name.
20 Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.
Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.
Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.
He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse.
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples
and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’
Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.
And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.’
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”
Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came;
and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
Let anyone with ears listen!
‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.”
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”;
the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’