Isaiah 35
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Return of the Redeemed to Zion
35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus(A) 2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and shouting.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.]][a](B)
3 Strengthen the weak hands
and make firm the feeble knees.(C)
4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”(D)
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf shall be opened;(E)
6 then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert;(F)
7 the burning sand shall become a pool
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp;[b]
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.(G)
8 A highway shall be there,[c]
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,[d]
but it shall be for God’s people;[e]
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.(H)
9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.(I)
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.(J)
Footnotes
- 34.17–35.2 Q ms lacks 34.17–35.2
- 35.7 Cn: Heb in the haunt of jackals is her resting place
- 35.8 Q ms Gk Syr: MT A highway and a way shall be there
- 35.8 Or pass it by
- 35.8 Cn: Heb for them
Revelation 22:12-21
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
12 “See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work.(A) 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes,[a] so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral[b] and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.(B)
16 “It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”(C)
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
And let everyone who hears say, “Come.”
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.(D)
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book;(E) 19 if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20 The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!(F)
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.[c]
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Luke 1:67-80
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:(A)
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on[a] his people and redeemed them.(B)
69 He has raised up a mighty savior[b] for us
in the house of his child David,(C)
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,(D)
71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors
and has remembered his holy covenant,(E)
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,(F) 75 in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.(G)
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,(H)
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.(I)
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break[c] upon[d] us,
79 to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”(J)
80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.(K)
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