(Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20; John 1:19–28)
1
“Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
2
Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, || That her warfare has been completed, || That her punishment has been accepted, || That she has received from the hand of YHWH || Double for all her sins.
3
A voice is crying in a wilderness: “Prepare the way of YHWH, || Make straight in a desert a highway for our God.
4
Every valley is raised up, || And every mountain and hill become low, || And the crooked place has become a plain, || And the entangled places a valley.
5
And the glory of YHWH has been revealed, || And all flesh have seen [it] together, || For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.”
The Enduring Word
(1 Peter 1:22–25)
6
A voice is saying, “Call,” || And he said, “What do I call?” All flesh [is] grass, and all its goodness || [Is] as a flower of the field:
7
Grass has withered, the flower faded, || For the Spirit of YHWH blew on it, || Surely the people [is] grass;
8
Grass has withered, the flower faded, || But a word of our God rises forever.
Here Is Your God!
(Romans 11:33–36)
9
Get up on a high mountain, O Zion, || Proclaiming tidings, || Lift up your voice with power, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, || Lift up, do not fear, say to cities of Judah, “Behold, your God.”
10
Behold, Lord YHWH comes with strength, || And His arm is ruling for Him, || Behold, His hire [is] with Him, and His wage before Him.
11
He feeds His flock as a shepherd, || He gathers lambs with His arm, || And He carries [them] in His bosom: He leads suckling ones.
12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, || And has meted out the heavens by a span, || And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, || And has weighed the mountains in scales, || And the hills in a balance?
13
Who has meted out the Spirit of YHWH, || And [being] His counselor, teaches Him?
14
With whom [did] He consult, || That he causes Him to understand? And teaches Him in the path of judgment, || And teaches Him knowledge? And causes Him to know the way of understanding?
15
Behold, nations [are] as a drop from a bucket, || And have been reckoned as small dust of the balance, || Behold, He takes up islands as a small thing.
16
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, || Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt-offering.
17
All the nations [are] as nothing before Him, || Less than nothing and emptiness, || They have been reckoned to Him.
18
And to whom do you liken God, || And what likeness do you compare to Him?
19
An artisan has poured out the carved image, || And a refiner spreads it over with gold, || And he is refining chains of silver.
20
He who is poor [by] raised-offerings, || Chooses a tree [that is] not rotten, || He seeks a skillful artisan for it, || To establish a carved image—not moved.
21
Do you not know—do you not hear? Has it not been declared from the first to you? Have you not understood || [From] the foundations of the earth?
22
He who is sitting on the circle of the earth, || And its inhabitants [are] as grasshoppers, || He who is stretching out the heavens as a thin thing, || And spreads them as a tent to dwell in.
23
He who is making princes become nothing, || Has made judges of earth formless;
24
Indeed, they have not been planted, || Indeed, they have not been sown, || Indeed, their stock is not taking root in the earth, || And He has also blown on them, and they wither, || And a whirlwind takes them away as stubble.
25
And to whom do you liken Me, || And [to whom] I equal? Says the Holy One.
26
Lift up your eyes on high, || And see—who has created these? He who is bringing out their host by number, || He calls to all of them by name, || By the abundance of His strength || And mighty power, || Not one is lacking.
27
Why say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way has been hid from YHWH, || And from my God my judgment passes over?”
28
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The God of the age—YHWH, || Preparer of the ends of the earth, || Is not wearied nor fatigued, || There is no searching of His understanding.
29
He is giving power to the weary, || And to those not strong He increases might.
30
Even youths are wearied and fatigued, || And young men utterly stumble,
31
But those expecting YHWH pass [to] power, || They raise up the pinion as eagles, || They run and are not fatigued, || They go on and do not faint!
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