Readings This Week
Sunday 8 December 2024 - Second Sunday in Advent
Sunday 8 December 2024 - Second Sunday in Advent
First Reading
First Reading
1st Reading
1st Reading
Malachi 3.1-4
Malachi 3.1-4
1 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
1 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
End of the reading
Hear the word of the Lord,
Silence may follow each reading.
Psalm Song of Zechariah Page 10
Psalm Song of Zechariah Page 10
Psalm
Psalm
Second Sunday of Advent
The Song of Zechariah (Benedictus, Luke 1.68–79)
The Song of Zechariah (Benedictus, Luke 1.68–79)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel:
who has come to his people and set them free.
who has come to his people and set them free.
The Lord has raised up for us a mighty Saviour:
The Lord has raised up for us a mighty Saviour:
born of the house of his servant David.
born of the house of his servant David.
Through the holy prophets, God promised of old:
Through the holy prophets, God promised of old:
to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us,
to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us,
To show mercy to our forebears:
To show mercy to our forebears:
and to remember his holy covenant.
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear:
Free to worship him without fear:
holy and righteous before him, all the days of our life.
holy and righteous before him, all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High:
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High:
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation:
To give his people knowledge of salvation:
by the forgiveness of their sins.
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God:
In the tender compassion of our God:
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death:
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death:
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Second Reading - New Testament
Second Reading - New Testament
New Testament Reading
Philippians 1.1-11
Philippians 1.1-11
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
End of the reading
Hear the word of the Lord,
Silence may follow each reading.
Gospel Reading
Gospel Reading
Gospel
Gospel
Gospel Reading
Gospel
Gospel
Luke 3.1-6
Luke 3.1-6
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,
2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and the rough ways made smooth;
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.