"And nowI am standingtrialfor the hopeof the promisemadeby Godto our fathers;
havinga hopein God,whichthese mencherishthemselves,that there shall certainlybe a resurrectionof boththe righteousand the wicked.
lookingfor the blessedhopeand the appearingof the gloryof our greatGodand Savior,ChristJesus,
"For thisreason,therefore,I requestedto seeyou and to speakwith you, for I am wearingthischainfor the sakeof the hopeof Israel."
For I saythat Christhas becomea servantto the circumcisionon behalfof the truthof Godto confirmthe promises[given] to the fathers,
But perceivingthat onegroupwere Sadduceesand the otherPharisees,Paul[began] cryingout in the Council,"Brethren,I ama Pharisee,a sonof Pharisees;I am on trialfor the hopeand resurrectionof the dead!"
"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.
"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."
"The LORDyour Godwill raiseup for you a prophetlikeme from amongyou, from your countrymen,you shall listento him.
"I will multiplyyour descendantsas the starsof heaven,and will giveyour descendantsalltheselands;and by your descendantsallthe nationsof the earthshall be blessed;
"In your seedallthe nationsof the earthshall be blessed,becauseyou have obeyedMy voice."
And I will blessthose who blessyou, And the one who cursesyou I will curse.And in you allthe familiesof the earthwill be blessed."
But whenthe fullnessof the timecame,Godsent forthHis Son,bornof a woman,bornunderthe Law,
"Whyis it consideredincredibleamongyou [people] ifGoddoes raisethe dead?
other thanfor thisonestatementwhichI shoutedout while standingamongthem, 'For the resurrectionof the deadI am on trialbeforeyou today.'"
"And likewise,allthe prophetswhohave spoken,from Samueland [his] successors onward,alsoannouncedthesedays.
"But for you who fearMy name,the sunof righteousnesswill risewith healingin its wings;and you will goforthand skipaboutlike calvesfrom the stall.
"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.
"In that daya fountainwill be openedfor the houseof Davidand for the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,for sinand for impurity.
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.
"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.
You will givetruthto Jacob[And] unchangingloveto Abraham,WhichYou sworeto our forefathersFrom the daysof old.
The delivererswill ascendMountZionTo judgethe mountainof Esau,And the kingdomwill be the LORD'S.
"And it will comeabout that whoevercallson the nameof the LORDWill be delivered;For on MountZionand in JerusalemThere will be those who escape,As the LORDhas said,Even among the survivorswhomthe LORDcalls.
Afterwardthe sonsof Israelwill returnand seekthe LORDtheir Godand Davidtheir king;and they will cometremblingto the LORDand to His goodnessin the lastdays.
"My servantDavidwill be kingoverthem, and they will allhaveoneshepherd;and they will walkin My ordinancesand keepMy statutesand observethem.
A ruin,a ruin,a ruin,I will makeit. Thisalsowill be nomore untilHe comeswhoserightit is, and I will giveit [to Him].'
"Thereforethe LordHimselfwill giveyou a sign:Behold,a virginwill be with childand beara son,and she will callHis nameImmanuel.
In that daythe Branchof the LORDwill be beautifuland glorious,and the fruitof the earth[will be] the prideand the adornmentof the survivorsof Israel.
"ThereI will cause the hornof Davidto springforth;I have prepareda lampfor Mine anointed.
The LORDhas swornto DavidA truthfrom which He will not turnback:"Of the fruitof your bodyI will setupon your throne.
The LORDhas madeknownHis salvation;He has revealedHis righteousnessin the sightof the nations.
"The sceptershall not departfrom Judah,Northe ruler'sstafffrom betweenhis feet,UntilShilohcomes,And to him [shall be] the obedienceof the peoples.
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."
