Sunday 22 December 2024

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Micah 5:2-5a

25.2 Ch 5.1 in Heb But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

3Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labour has brought forth;

then the rest of his kindred shall return

to the people of Israel.

4And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD,

in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth;

5and he shall be the one of peace.

If the Assyrians come into our land

and tread upon our soil,5.5 Gk: Heb in our palaces

we will raise against them seven shepherds

and eight installed as rulers.

Luke 1:39-45

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be1.45 Or believed, for there will be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

Mary's Song of Praise