Daily Readings - 13/12/2026

^61:1 The spirit of the Lord Yahweh has been given to me, for Yahweh has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken; to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison;

^61:2 to proclaim a year of favour from Yahweh, a day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all those who mourn

^61:10 ‘I exult for joy in Yahweh, my soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation, he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity, like a bridegroom wearing his wreath, like a bride adorned in her jewels.

^61:11 ‘For as the earth makes fresh things grow, as a garden makes seeds spring up, so will the Lord Yahweh make both integrity and praise spring up in the sight of the nations.’

^1:46 And Mary[*i] said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

^1:47 and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

^1:48 because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid. Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

^1:49 for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name,

^1:50 and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

^1:53 The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

^1:54 He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

^1:6 A man came, sent by God. His name was John.

^1:7 He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him.

^1:8 He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light.

^1:19 This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews[*c] sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’

^1:20 he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ’.

^1:21 ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?'[*d] ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?'[*e] He answered, ‘No’.

^1:22 So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’

^1:23 So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord’.[*f]

^1:24 Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees,

^1:25 and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’

^1:26 John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you –

^1:27 the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap’.

^1:28 This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.