Fourth Sunday Of Advent

Isaiah 7:10-14 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

The virgin will conceive.

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’

Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David:

are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men

without trying the patience of my God, too?

The Lord himself, therefore,

will give you a sign.

It is this: the maiden is with child

and will soon give birth to a son

whom she will call Emmanuel,

a name which means “God-is-with-us”.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 7:10-14 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

The Lord spoke to Ahaz,

“Ask a sign of the Lord your God;

let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”

But Ahaz said, “I will not ask,

and I will not put the Lord to the test.”

Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David!

Is it too little for you to weary mortals,

that you weary my God also?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son,

and shall name him Immanuel.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 23:1-6 (JB)

R. Let the Lord enter;

he is king of glory.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

the world and all its peoples.

It is he who set it on the seas;

on the waters he made it firm. R.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who shall stand in his holy place?

The man with clean hands and pure heart,

who desires not worthless things. R.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord

and reward from the God who saves him.

Such are the men who seek him,

seek the face of the God of Jacob. R.

Romans 1:1-7 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, is the Son of God.

From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.

This news is about the Son of God, who, according to the human nature he took, was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 1:1-7 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,

called to be an apostle,

set apart for the gospel of God,

which God promised beforehand

through his prophets in the holy scriptures:

the gospel concerning his Son,

who was descended from David according to the flesh

and was declared to be Son of God with power

according to the spirit of holiness

by resurrection from the dead,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through Christ we have received grace and apostleship

to bring about the obedience of faith

among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name,

including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

To all God’s beloved in Rome,

who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Matthew 1:23 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

A virgin will give birth to a son;

his name will be Emmanuel: God is with us.

Alleluia!

Matthew 1:23 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

A virgin will give birth to a son;

his name will be Emmanuel: God is with us.

Alleluia!

Matthew 1:18-24 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus was born of Mary, the betrothed of Joseph, a son of David.

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and said ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’. When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:18-24 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

The birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph,

but before they lived together,

she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man

and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace,

planned to dismiss her quietly.

But just when he had resolved to do this,

an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

“Joseph, son of David,

do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,

for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will bear a son,

and you are to name him Jesus,

for he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place

to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.”

When Joseph awoke from sleep,

he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him;

he took her as his wife.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.