Advent at home

²⁴ But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, ²⁵ the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶ Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky. ²⁸ “Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near; ²⁹ even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors. ³⁰ Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ³² But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time is. ³⁴ “It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. ³⁵ Watch therefore, for you don’t know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning; ³⁶ lest coming suddenly he might find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I tell you, I tell all: Watch.”

¹ The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ² As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you: ³ the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’ ” ⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. ⁵ All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. ⁶ John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. ⁸ I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

⁶ There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

¹⁹ This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰ He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹ They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” ²² They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” ²⁴ The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees. ²⁵ They asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. ²⁷ He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.” ²⁸ These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

²⁶ Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” ²⁹ But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” ³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” ³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing spoken by God is impossible.” ³⁸ Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.