Sunday, December 27, 2026

¹Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways. ²For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you. ³Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house, your children like olive shoots around your table. ⁴Behold, this is how the man who fears the LORD is blessed. ⁵May the LORD bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

¹²Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; ¹³bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. ¹⁴Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. ¹⁷Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ¹⁸Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them. ²⁰Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.

²²When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said, ²⁹“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; ³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; ³²a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.” ³³Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him. ³⁴Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. ³⁵Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, ³⁷and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day. ³⁸Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem. ³⁹When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. ⁴⁰The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.