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 our relationship to Him.
Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do.
Reading 1
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.
A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs,
carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.
Comfort = נָחַם
to be sorry, be moved to pity, have compassion;ease (one's self)
tenderly = לֵב
inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding; seat of appetites;seat of emotions and passions; seat of courage
prepare = פָּנָה
to turn and do; to turn toward, approach; put out of the way, make clear, clear away; to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.; regard; to turn oneself and look at; to put a house in order; to propose to oneself; in the presence of, before; in front of
make straight = יָשַׁר
to be right, be straight, be level, be upright, be just, be lawful, be smooth;to be pleasing, be agreeable, be right;to make right, make smooth; direct, fit, seem good (meet); esteem;be upright; to be even;
Responsorial Psalm
R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reading 2
Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
All flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare = ἑτοιμάζω
make ready
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
get ready; prepare oneself, make oneself ready
straight = εὐθύς
Level; forward, upright, true, sincere
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
straight, direct, whether vertically or horizontal
Gospel
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Prepare = ἑτοιμάζω
make ready
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
get ready; prepare oneself, make oneself ready
straight = εὐθύς
Level; forward, upright, true, sincere
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
straight, direct, whether vertically or horizontal
What these readings tell us about God/His ways:
[He comes] In the desert
[He comes] in the wasteland
the rugged land shall be made a plain
the rough country, a broad valley
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed
all people shall see it together
Here comes with power the Lord GOD
who rules by his strong arm
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock
in his arms he gathers the lambs
carrying them in his bosom
leading the ewes with care
your kindness
your salvation
he proclaims peace to his people
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him
your kindness
your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet
justice and peace shall kiss
Truth shall spring out of the earth
justice shall look down from heaven.
your kindness
your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits
Justice shall walk before him
your kindness
your salvation.
with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day
he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief
we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells
All flesh shall see the salvation of God
the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you
he will prepare your way
A voice of one crying out in the desert
John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins
John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey
One mightier than I is coming after me.
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
What these readings tell us to do:
Comfort, give comfort to my people
Speak tenderly
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Fear not to cry out
see your kindness
hear what God proclaims
fear him
see your kindness
see your kindness
see your kindness
conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”
repentance for the forgiveness of sins
they acknowledged their sins
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