The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
First Sunday after the Epiphany
The Baptism of our Lord Year A BCP

Isaiah 42:1-9
Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17
Psalm 89:1-29 or 89:20-29

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

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.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Thus 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:
I 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,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the LORD, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.

Psalm 89:1-29 or 89:20-29 Page 713 or 715, BCP

Misericordias Domini

1

Your love, O LORD, for ever will I sing; *
from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.

2

For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; *
you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.

3

"I have made a covenant with my chosen one; *
I have sworn an oath to David my servant:

4

'I will establish your line for ever, *
and preserve your throne for all generations.'"

5

The heavens bear witness to your wonders, O LORD, *
and to your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones;

6

For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?*
who is like the LORD among the gods?

7

God is much to be feared in the council of the holy ones, *
great and terrible to all those round about him.

8

Who is like you, LORD God of hosts? *
O mighty LORD, your faithfulness is all around you.

9

You rule the raging of the sea *
and still the surging of its waves.

10

You have crushed Rahab of the deep with a deadly wound; *
you have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

11

Yours are the heavens; the earth also is yours; *
you laid the foundations of the world and all that is in it.

12

You have made the north and the south; *
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your Name.

13

You have a mighty arm; *
strong is your hand and high is your right hand.

14

Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne; *
love and truth go before your face.

15

Happy are the people who know the festal shout! *
they walk, O LORD, in the light of your presence.

16

They rejoice daily in your Name; *
they are jubilant in your righteousness.

17

For you are the glory of their strength, *
and by your favor our might is exalted.

18

Truly, the LORD is our ruler; *
the Holy One of Israel is our King.

19

You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: *
"I have set the crown upon a warrior
and have exalted one chosen out of the people.

20

I have found David my servant; *
with my holy oil have I anointed him.

21

My hand will hold him fast *
and my arm will make him strong.

22

No enemy shall deceive him, *
nor any wicked man bring him down.

23

I will crush his foes before him *
and strike down those who hate him.

24

My faithfulness and love shall be with him, *
and he shall be victorious through my Name.

25

I shall make his dominion extend *
from the Great Sea to the River.

26

He will say to me, 'You are my Father, *
my God, and the rock of my salvation.'

27

I will make him my firstborn *
and higher than the kings of the earth.

28

I will keep my love for him for ever, *
and my covenant will stand firm for him.

29

I will establish his line for ever *
and his throne as the days of heaven."

Acts 10:34-38

Peter began to speak to Cornelius and his relatives and close friends: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ-- he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how 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.

Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And 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. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The text of the Psalms are from the Psalter of the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.

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