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Isaiah 40:1-11 (Listen)

• Isaiah 39
• Isaiah 40
• Isaiah 41

Comfort for God's People

40 zComfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 aSpeak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that bher warfare1 is ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the Lord's hand

double for all her sins.

3 cA voice cries:2

d“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;

emake straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 fEvery valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

5 gAnd the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together,

hfor the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

The Word of God Stands Forever

6 A voice says, “Cry!”

And I said,3 “What shall I cry?”

iAll flesh is grass,

and all its beauty4 is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades

when the breath of the Lord blows on it;

surely the people are grass.

8 jThe grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.

The Greatness of God

9 Go on up to a high mountain,

O Zion, kherald of good news;5

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good news;6

lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

“Behold your God!”

10 lBehold, the Lord God comes with might,

and his arm rules for him;

mbehold, his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

11 nHe will tend his flock like a shepherd;

ohe will gather the lambs in his arms;

phe will carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead those that are with young.

• Isaiah 39
• Isaiah 40
• Isaiah 41

Mark 1:1-8 (Listen)

• Matthew 28
• Mark 1
• Mark 2

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, athe Son of God.1

2 bAs it is written in Isaiah the prophet,2

c“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way,

3 dthe voice of one crying in the wilderness:

e‘Prepare3 the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight,’”

4 fJohn appeared, baptizing in gthe wilderness and proclaiming ha baptism of irepentance jfor the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, kconfessing their sins. 6 Now John was lclothed with camel's hair and lwore a leather belt around his waist and ate mlocusts and nwild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, o“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 pI have baptized you with water, but qhe will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”