The Texts for January 12th, 2012 The Baptism of Jesus

First Reading: Isaiah 42:1–9

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my spirit upon him;

he will bring forth justice to the nations.

  ²He will not cry or lift up his voice,

or make it heard in the street;

  ³a bruised reed he will not break,

and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;

he will faithfully bring forth justice.

  ⁴He will not grow faint or be crushed

until he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

  ⁵Thus says God, the LORD,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people upon it

and spirit to those who walk in it:

  ⁶I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness,

I have taken you by the hand and kept you;

I have given you as a covenant to the people, 

a light to the nations,

  ⁷to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

  ⁸I am the LORD, that is my name;

my glory I give to no other,

nor my praise to idols.

  ⁹See, the former things have come to pass,

and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth,

I tell you of them.

Psalm 29

Second Reading: Acts 10:34–43

³⁴Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality,  ³⁵but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.  ³⁶You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all.  ³⁷That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:  ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.  ³⁹We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;  ⁴⁰but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,  ⁴¹not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  ⁴²He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.  ⁴³All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Gospel: Matthew 3:13–17

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.  ¹⁴John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"  ¹⁵But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.  ¹⁶And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  ¹⁷And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."