This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context.
Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue beneath each reading.
Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or His ways.
Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do.
Text in red tells us what not to do
Other bolded hyperlinks (at the end of this post)will take you to collections of other scriptures addressing similar principles.
Reading 1
There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son. Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean. As for the son you will conceive and bear, no razor shall touch his head, for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines.”
The woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me; he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed. I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. But he said to me, ‘You will be with child and will bear a son. So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb, until the day of his death.’”
The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him; the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 8) My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
For you are my hope, O LORD; my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD; O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”
Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute.
Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”
righteous = δίκαιος= dikaios
used of persons observant of [] "custom, rule, right," especially in the fulfillment of duties towards gods and men, and of things that were in accordance with right; In the NT it denotes "righteous," a state of being right, or right conduct, judged whether by the Divine standard, or according to human standards, of what is right; without prejudice or partiality; in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God; that which regard for duty demands, what is right; innocent, faultless, guiltless;him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God; approved of God, acceptable to God
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
observant of custom or rule, esp. of social rule, well-ordered, civilized; in due form, decently; observant of duty; equal, even, well-balanced; meet and right, fitting
believe = πιστεύω = pisteuō
to be persuaded of, and hence, to place confidence in, to trust, signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence; to entrust, commit to;to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in; the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing); credit; to trust; to intrust a thing to one, i. e. to his fidelity
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
trust, put faith in, rely on a person, thing, or statement; believe; entertain a confident opinion; believe that, feel confident that a thing is, will be, has been; entrust something to another
What these readings tell us about God and His ways:
Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean.
he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed
The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him; the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.
my rock of refuge
a stronghold to give me safety
you are my rock and my fortress.
For you are my hope
my trust, O God
On you I depend
you are my strength.
your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me
O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people
Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.
I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news
my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”
What these readings tell us to do:
I will sing your glory!
I will sing your glory!
I will sing your glory!
treat of the mighty works of the LORD
I will tell of your singular justice
I proclaim your wondrous deeds
I will sing your glory!
Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly
he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service
Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home
What these readings tell us not to do:
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard
you did not believe my words
Collections of other scriptures addressing similar principles:
Wisdom Principles—God is Supreme Over All Human Power/Plans
We Must Make Real Effort/Sacrifice to receive all that God offers, But It Is Well Worth It
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