"And we preach to you the good newsof the promisemadeto the fathers,
And I will blessthose who blessyou, And the one who cursesyou I will curse.And in you allthe familiesof the earthwill be blessed."
"In your seedallthe nationsof the earthshall be blessed,becauseyou have obeyedMy voice."
"I will multiplyyour descendantsas the starsof heaven,and will giveyour descendantsalltheselands;and by your descendantsallthe nationsof the earthshall be blessed;
And I will putenmityBetweenyou and the woman,And betweenyour seedand her seed;He shall bruiseyou on the head,And you shall bruisehim on the heel."
"The sceptershall not departfrom Judah,Northe ruler'sstafffrom betweenhis feet,UntilShilohcomes,And to him [shall be] the obedienceof the peoples.
Then a shootwill springfrom the stemof Jesse,And a branchfrom his rootswill bearfruit.
Getyourself up on a highmountain,O Zion,bearerof good news,Liftup your voicemightily,O Jerusalem,bearerof good news;Lift[it] up, do not fear.Sayto the citiesof Judah,"Hereis your God!"
"Formerly[I said] to Zion,'Behold,herethey are.' And to Jerusalem,'I will givea messengerof good news.'
Howlovelyon the mountainsAre the feetof him who bringsgood news,Who announcespeaceAnd bringsgood newsof happiness,Who announcessalvation,[And] saysto Zion,"Your Godreigns!"
The Spiritof the LordGODis upon me, Becausethe LORDhas anointedme To bringgood newsto the afflicted;He has sentme to bindup the brokenhearted,To proclaimlibertyto captivesAnd freedomto prisoners;
"Thereforethe LordHimselfwill giveyou a sign:Behold,a virginwill be with childand beara son,and she will callHis nameImmanuel.
"Behold,[the] daysare coming,"declaresthe LORD,"When I will raiseup for Davida righteousBranch;And He will reignas kingand actwiselyAnd dojusticeand righteousnessin the land.
"Then I will setoverthem oneshepherd,My servantDavid,and he will feedthem; he will feedthem himselfand be their shepherd.
"But as for you, BethlehemEphrathah,[Too] littleto be among the clansof Judah,From you One will goforthfor Me to be rulerin Israel.His goingsforthare from longago,From the daysof eternity."
I will shakeallthe nations;and they will comewith the wealthof allnations,and I will fillthishousewith glory,'saysthe LORDof hosts.
"In that daya fountainwill be openedfor the houseof Davidand for the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,for sinand for impurity.
"Awake,O sword,againstMy Shepherd,And againstthe man,My Associate,"Declaresthe LORDof hosts."Strikethe Shepherdthat the sheepmay be scattered;And I will turnMy handagainstthe littleones.
"Then sayto him, 'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Behold,a manwhose nameis Branch,for He will branchout from whereHe is; and He will buildthe templeof the LORD.
Rejoicegreatly,O daughterof Zion!Shout[in triumph], O daughterof Jerusalem!Behold,your kingis comingto you; He is justand endowedwith salvation,Humble,and mountedon a donkey,Even on a colt,the foalof a donkey.
"Behold,I am going to sendMy messenger,and he will clearthe waybeforeMe. And the Lord,whomyou seek,will suddenlycometo His temple;and the messengerof the covenant,in whomyou delight,behold,He is coming,"saysthe LORDof hosts.
"But for you who fearMy name,the sunof righteousnesswill risewith healingin its wings;and you will goforthand skipaboutlike calvesfrom the stall.
The angelansweredand saidto him, "I amGabriel,who standsin the presenceof God,and I have been sentto speakto you and to bringyou thisgood news.
But the angelsaidto them, "Do not be afraid;for behold,I bring you good newsof greatjoywhichwill be for allthe people;
"The wordwhichHe sentto the sonsof Israel,preachingpeacethroughJesusChrist(He is Lordof all)--
"From the descendantsof this man,accordingto promise,Godhas broughtto Israela Savior,Jesus,
"Thereforelet it be knownto you, brethren,that throughHim forgivenessof sinsis proclaimedto you,
and saying,"Men,whyare you doingthese things?We are alsomenof the same natureas you, and preach the gospelto you that you should turnfrom thesevain thingsto a livingGod,WHOMADETHE HEAVENAND THE EARTHAND THE SEAAND ALLTHAT IS IN THEM.
"And nowI am standingtrialfor the hopeof the promisemadeby Godto our fathers;
"Thereforerepentand return,sothat your sinsmay be wiped away,in orderthat timesof refreshingmay comefrom the presenceof the Lord;
And everyday,in the templeand from house to house,they keptrighton teachingand preachingJesus[as] the Christ.
whichHe promised beforehandthroughHis prophetsin the holyScriptures,
Howwill they preachunlessthey are sent?Justas it is written,"HOWBEAUTIFULARE THE FEETOF THOSEWHO BRING GOOD NEWSOF GOOD THINGS!"
For the promiseto Abrahamorto his descendantsthat he would be heirof the worldwas not throughthe Law,but throughthe righteousnessof faith.
whoare Israelites,to whombelongs the adoption as sons,and the gloryand the covenantsand the giving of the Lawand the [temple] serviceand the promises,
"The LORDyour Godwill raiseup for you a prophetlikeme from amongyou, from your countrymen,you shall listento him.
