Reading 1, Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 8 Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people.9 Then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called...

Reading 1, Isaiah 52:7-10 7 How beautiful on the mountains, are the feet of the messenger announcing peace, of the messenger of good news, who proclaims salvation and says to Zion, 'Your God is king!'8 The voices of your watchmen! Now they raise their voices, shouting...

Reading 1, Second Samuel 7:1-5, 8-11, 16 1 Once the king had settled into his palace and Yahweh had granted him rest from all the enemies surrounding him,2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, 'Look, I am living in a cedar-wood palace, while the ark of God is under...

Reading 1, Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 1 'Look, I shall send my messenger to clear a way before me. And suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his Temple; yes, the angel of the covenant, for whom you long, is on his way, says Yahweh Sabaoth.2 Who will be able to resist...

Reading 1, Micah 5:1-4 1 But you (Bethlehem) Ephrathah, the least of the clans of Judah, from you will come for me a future ruler of Israel whose origins go back to the distant past, to the days of old.2 Hence Yahweh will abandon them only until she who is in labour...

Reading 1, Zephaniah 3:14-18 14 Shout for joy, daughter of Zion, Israel, shout aloud! Rejoice, exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem!15 Yahweh has repealed your sentence; he has turned your enemy away. Yahweh is king among you, Israel, you have nothing more...

Reading 1, Isaiah 7:10-14 10 Yahweh spoke to Ahaz again and said:11 Ask Yahweh your God for a sign, either in the depths of Sheol or in the heights above.12 But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask. I will not put Yahweh to the test.'13 He then said: Listen now, House of David:...

Reading 1, Judges 13:2-7, 24-25 2 There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren; she had borne no children.3 The Angel of Yahweh appeared to this woman and said to her, 'You are barren and have had no child, but you are going to...

Reading 1, Jeremiah 23:5-8 5 Look, the days are coming, Yahweh declares, when I shall raise an upright Branch for David; he will reign as king and be wise, doing what is just and upright in the country.6 In his days Judah will triumph and Israel live in safety. And...

Reading 1, Genesis 49:2, 8-10 2 Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen; listen to Israel your father.8 Judah, your brothers will praise you: you grip your enemies by the neck, your father's sons will do you homage.9 Judah is a lion's whelp; You stand over your prey,...