Thursday, January 6

9It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.

11Then a voice came from heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

12teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

13looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

14who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

15Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

1Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,

2to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

3For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

6whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

14And John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?'

15But Jesus answered and said to him, 'Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he allowed Him.

16When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

17And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'

1Be glad, you thirsty desert, and rejoice exceedingly, and let the desert blossom as a lily.

2The desert places of the Jordan shall blossom abundantly and rejoice exceedingly. The glory of Lebanon and the honor of Carmel shall be given to it, and My people shall see the glory of the Lord and the majesty of our God.

3Be strong, you relaxed hands and feeble knees.

4Be comforted, you fainthearted. Be strong, do not fear. Behold, our God renders judgment and will render it. He will come and save us.

5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear.

6Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will speak clearly. For water shall burst forth in the desert, and a valley in the thirsty land.

7The waterless desert shall become meadows, and the thirsty land springs of water. There will be the gladness of birds, a habitation of reeds and marshes.

8A pure way shall be there, and it shall be called a holy way. No unclean man shall pass through there, neither shall there be an unclean way there. But those dispersed shall walk in it, and they shall not go astray.

9No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous animals go up on it, nor at all be found there. But the redeemed shall walk in it,

10and those gathered by the Lord shall return and come to Zion with gladness, and with everlasting gladness over their head. For praise and exceeding joy will be on their head, and gladness shall possess them. Pain, sorrow, and sighing fled away.

1You who are thirsty, go to the water, and all who have no money, go and buy wine and fat, and eat and drink without money and price.

2Why do you value at the price of money, and give your toil for what does not satisfy? Listen to Me and eat good things, and your soul will delight in good things.

3Incline your ears and follow my ways. Listen to Me, and your soul shall live in good things; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the holy and faithful things of David.

4Behold, I made him a witness among the Gentiles, a ruler and commander to the Gentiles.

5The Gentiles, which did not know you, shall call upon you, and the peoples who did not understand you shall take refuge in you, because of your God, the Holy One of Israel; for He glorified you.'

6Seek God, and when you find Him, call upon Him when He draws near to you.

7Let the ungodly man abandon his ways, and the lawless man his counsels; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; for He shall forgive your sins abundantly.

8'For My counsels are not as your counsels, neither are your ways My ways,' says the Lord.

9'But as heaven is distant from earth, so is My way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from My mind.

10For as rain comes down, or snow from heaven, and does not return until it saturates the earth, and it brings forth and produces, and gives seed to the sower and bread for food,

11so shall My word be, whatever proceeds from My mouth. It shall not return until it accomplishes whatever I willed, and I shall prosper your ways and My commandments.

12For you shall go forth with gladness and shall be taught with joy, for the mountains and hills shall exult to receive you with joy; and all the trees of the field shall applaud with their branches.

13Instead of the broom-tree shall come up the cypress, and instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle; and the Lord shall be for a name and for an everlasting sign, and He shall not fail.'

3You will draw water with gladness from the wells of salvation.

4In that day, you will say, 'Praise the Lord; call upon His name. Declare His glorious things among the Gentiles and make mention that His name is exalted.

5Sing to the name of the Lord, for He has done great things. Declare this in all the earth.

6Exult and be glad, O inhabitants of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel is exalted in her midst.'

1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,

2all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

3all ate the same spiritual food,

4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

9It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.

11Then a voice came from heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'