Prepare the Way for the LORD (Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20; John 1:19–28)
1 DBY Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. BSB BSB: “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
2 DBY Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her time of suffering is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins. BSB BSB: “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her forced labor has been completed; her iniquity has been pardoned. For she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.”
3 DBY The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our God! BSB BSB: A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
4 DBY Every valley shall be raised up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places a plain. BSB BSB: Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.
5 DBY And the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken. BSB BSB: And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
The Enduring Word (1 Peter 1:22–25)
7 DBY The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, for the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. BSB BSB: The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.
Here Is Your God! (Romans 11:33–36)
9 DBY O Zion, that bringest glad tidings, get thee up into a high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest glad tidings, lift up thy voice with strength: lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! BSB BSB: Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
10 DBY Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come with might, and his arm shall rule for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompence before him. BSB BSB: Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him.
11 DBY He will feed his flock like a shepherd: he will gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom; he will gently lead those that give suck. BSB BSB: He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
13 DBY Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah, and, as his counsellor, hath taught him? BSB BSB: Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
14 DBY With whom took he counsel, and who gave him intelligence, and instructed him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed him the way of understanding? BSB BSB: Whom did He consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the paths of justice? Who imparted knowledge to Him and showed Him the way of understanding?
15 DBY Behold, the nations are esteemed as a drop of the bucket, and as the fine dust on the scales; behold, he taketh up the isles as an atom. BSB BSB: Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
16 DBY And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering. BSB BSB: Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering.
17 DBY All the nations are as nothing before him; they are esteemed by him less than a cipher, and vanity. BSB BSB: All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.
18 DBY To whom then will ye liken God? and what likeness will ye compare unto him? BSB BSB: To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?
19 DBY The workman casteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains for it . BSB BSB: To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
20 DBY He that is impoverished, so that he hath no offering, chooseth a tree that doth not rot; he seeketh unto him a skilled workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved. BSB BSB: One lacking such an offering chooses wood that will not rot. He seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.
21 DBY — Do ye not know? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood the foundation of the earth? BSB BSB: Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth?
22 DBY It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a gauze curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;BSB BSB: He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23 DBY that bringeth the princes to nothing, that maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. BSB BSB: He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.
24 DBY Scarcely are they planted, scarcely are they sown, scarcely hath their stock taken root in the earth, but he also bloweth upon them and they wither, and the whirlwind taketh them away as stubble. BSB BSB: No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.
25 DBY To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. BSB BSB: “To whom will you liken Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 DBY Lift up your eyes on high, and see! Who hath created these things, bringing out their host by number? He calleth them all by name; through the greatness of his might and strength of power, not one faileth. BSB BSB: Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
27 DBY Why sayest thou, Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from Jehovah, and my right is passed away from my God? BSB BSB: Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”?
29 DBY He giveth power to the faint; and to him that hath no might he increaseth strength. BSB BSB: He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.
30 DBY Even the youths shall faint and shall tire, and the young men shall stumble and fall; BSB BSB: Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.
31 DBY but they that wait upon Jehovah shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not tire; they shall walk, and not faint. BSB BSB: But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.