And there was a manin Jerusalemwhosenamewas Simeon;and thismanwas righteousand devout,lookingfor the consolationof Israel;and the HolySpiritwas upon him.
Theseare [the records of] the generationsof Noah.Noahwas a righteousman,blamelessin his time;Noahwalkedwith God.
There was a manin the landof Uzwhose namewas Job;and that manwas blameless,upright,fearingGodand turningawayfrom evil.
The LORDsaidto Satan,"Have you consideredMy servantJob?For thereis noonelikehim on the earth,a blamelessand uprightman,fearingGodand turningawayfrom evil."
And it will be saidin that day,"Behold,thisis our Godfor whom we have waitedthat He might saveus. Thisis the LORDfor whom we have waited;Let us rejoiceand be gladin His salvation."
"Comfort,O comfortMy people,"saysyour God.
He has toldyou, O man,whatis good;And whatdoes the LORDrequireof you But to dojustice,to lovekindness,And to walkhumblywith your God?
Then the LORDcamedownin the cloudand spoketo him; and He tookof the Spiritwhowas upon him and placed[Him] upon the seventyelders.And when the Spiritrestedupon them, they prophesied.But they did not do[it] again.
But Mosessaidto him, "Are you jealousfor my sake? Wouldthat allthe LORD'Speoplewere prophets,that the LORDwould putHis Spiritupon them!"
Josephof Arimatheacame,a prominentmember of the Council,whohimselfwas waitingfor the kingdomof God;and he gathered up courageand wentin beforePilate,and askedfor the bodyof Jesus.
WhenElizabethheardMary'sgreeting,the babyleapedin her womb;and Elizabethwas filledwith the HolySpirit.
They were bothrighteousin the sightof God,walkingblamelesslyin allthe commandmentsand requirementsof the Lord.
And his fatherZachariaswas filledwith the HolySpirit,and prophesied,saying:
At that verymomentshe cameup and [began] giving thanksto God,and continued to speakof Him to allthosewho were lookingfor the redemptionof Jerusalem.
(he had not consentedto their planand action),[a man] from Arimathea,a cityof the Jews,whowas waitingfor the kingdomof God;
a devout manand one who fearedGodwith allhis household,and gavemanyalmsto the [Jewish] peopleand prayedto Godcontinually.
They said,"Cornelius,a centurion,a righteousand God-fearingmanwell spokenof by the entirenationof the Jews,was [divinely] directedby a holyangelto sendfor you [to come] to his houseand heara messagefrom you."
Nowthere were Jewslivingin Jerusalem,devoutmenfrom everynationunderheaven.
"In view of this,I alsodo my bestto maintainalwaysa blamelessconscience[both] beforeGodand before men.
"The LORDyour Godwill raiseup for you a prophetlikeme from amongyou, from your countrymen,you shall listento him.
for noprophecywas evermadeby an act of humanwill,but menmovedby the HolySpiritspokefrom God.
