Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
10 I[a] will greatly rejoice[b] in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God.[c]
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication.[d]
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry.[e]
11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the Sovereign Lord will cause deliverance[f] to grow,
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations.[g]
The Lord Takes Delight in Zion
62 For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly[h]
and her deliverance burns like a torch.
2 Nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your splendor.
You will be called by a new name
that the Lord himself will give you.[i]
3 You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord,
a royal turban in the hand of your God.
Psalm 148[a]
148 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the sky.
Praise him in the heavens.
2 Praise him, all his angels.[b]
Praise him, all his heavenly assembly.[c]
3 Praise him, O sun and moon.
Praise him, all you shiny stars.[d]
4 Praise him, O highest heaven,
and you waters above the sky.[e]
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he gave the command and they came into existence.
6 He established them so they would endure;[f]
he issued a decree that will not be revoked.[g]
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,
8 O fire and hail, snow and clouds,[h]
O stormy wind that carries out his orders,[i]
9 you mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars,
10 you animals and all you cattle,
you creeping things and birds,
11 you kings of the earth and all you nations,
you princes and all you leaders[j] on the earth,
12 you young men and young women,
you elderly, along with you children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty extends over the earth and sky.
14 He has made his people victorious,[k]
and given all his loyal followers reason to praise—
the Israelites, the people who are close to him.[l]
Praise the Lord!
4 But when the appropriate time[a] had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights.[b] 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls[c] “Abba![d] Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are[e] a son, then you are also an heir through God.[f]
Jesus’ Presentation at the Temple
22 Now[a] when the time came for their[b] purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary[c] brought Jesus[d] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male[e] will be set apart to the Lord”[f]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves[g] or two young pigeons.[h]
The Prophecy of Simeon
25 Now[i] there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous[j] and devout, looking for the restoration[k] of Israel, and the Holy Spirit[l] was upon him. 26 It[m] had been revealed[n] to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die[o] before[p] he had seen the Lord’s Christ.[q] 27 So[r] Simeon,[s] directed by the Spirit,[t] came into the temple courts,[u] and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law,[v] 28 Simeon[w] took him in his arms and blessed God, saying,[x]
29 “Now, according to your word,[y] Sovereign Lord,[z] permit[aa] your servant[ab] to depart[ac] in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation[ad]
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:[ae]
32 a light,[af]
for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory[ag] to your people Israel.”
33 So[ah] the child’s[ai] father[aj] and mother were amazed[ak] at what was said about him. 34 Then[al] Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully:[am] This child[an] is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising[ao] of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected.[ap] 35 Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts[aq] of many hearts will be revealed[ar]—and a sword[as] will pierce your own soul as well!”[at]
The Testimony of Anna
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old,[au] having been married to her husband for seven years until his death. 37 She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years.[av] She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.[aw] 38 At that moment,[ax] she came up to them[ay] and began to give thanks to God and to speak[az] about the child[ba] to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.[bb]
39 So[bc] when Joseph and Mary[bd] had performed[be] everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town[bf] of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong,[bg] filled with wisdom,[bh] and the favor[bi] of God[bj] was upon him.
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