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Isaiah
60:1-6
Psalm
72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians
3:1-12
Matthew
2:1-12
Isaiah
60:1-6
60:1 Arise, shine; for your
light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
60:2
For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the
peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will
appear over you.
60:3
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of
your dawn.
60:4
Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they
come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your
daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms.
60:5
Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and
rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
60:6
A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian
and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold
and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.
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Psalm
72:1-7, 10-14
72:1 Give the king your
justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son.
72:2
May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with
justice.
72:3
May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills,
in righteousness.
72:4
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give
deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
72:5
May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon,
throughout all generations.
72:6
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers
that water the earth.
72:7
In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the
moon is no more.
72:10
May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may
the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.
72:11
May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.
72:12
For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who
have no helper.
72:13
He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the
needy.
72:14
From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious
is their blood in his sight.
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Ephesians
3:1-12
3:1 This is the reason that
I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you
Gentiles--
3:2
for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace
that was given me for you,
3:3
and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote
above in a few words,
3:4
a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of
the mystery of Christ.
3:5
In former generations this mystery was not made known to
humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and
prophets by the Spirit:
3:6
that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the
same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the
gospel.
3:7
Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of
God's grace that was given me by the working of his power.
3:8
Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was
given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless
riches of Christ,
3:9
and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden
for ages in God who created all things;
3:10
so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety
might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the
heavenly places.
3:11
This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has
carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
3:12
in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through
faith in him.
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Matthew
2:1-12
2:1 In the time of King
Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from
the East came to Jerusalem,
2:2
asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the
Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay
him homage."
2:3
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem
with him;
2:4
and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the
people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
2:5
They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been
written by the prophet:
2:6
'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least
among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is
to shepherd my people Israel.'"
2:7
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them
the exact time when the star had appeared.
2:8
Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search
diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me
word so that I may also go and pay him homage."
2:9
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of
them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it
stopped over the place where the child was.
2:10
When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed
with joy.
2:11
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother;
and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their
treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh.
2:12
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they
left for their own country by another road.
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