Bible Readings - Dec. 19, 2025

Reading 1

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a

There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites,

whose name was Manoah.

His wife was barren and had borne no children.

An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her,

“Though you are barren and have had no children,

yet you will conceive and bear a son.

Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink

and to eat nothing unclean.

As for the son you will conceive and bear,

no razor shall touch his head,

for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb.

It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel

from the power of the Philistines.”

The woman went and told her husband,

“A man of God came to me;

he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed.

I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name.

But he said to me,

‘You will be with child and will bear a son.

So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean.

For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb,

until the day of his death.’”

The woman bore a son and named him Samson.

The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him;

the Spirit of the LORD stirred him.

Psalm 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17

Be my rock of refuge,

a stronghold to give me safety,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

For you are my hope, O LORD;

my trust, O God, from my youth.

On you I depend from birth;

from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;

O God, I will tell of your singular justice.

O God, you have taught me from my youth,

and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Isaiah 11:10

On that day,

The root of Jesse,

set up as a signal for the peoples—

Him the nations will seek out;

his dwelling shall be glorious.

Gospel

Luke 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea,

there was a priest named Zechariah

of the priestly division of Abijah;

his wife was from the daughters of Aaron,

and her name was Elizabeth.

Both were righteous in the eyes of God,

observing all the commandments

and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren

and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest

in his division’s turn before God,

according to the practice of the priestly service,

he was chosen by lot

to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.

Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside

at the hour of the incense offering,

the angel of the Lord appeared to him,

standing at the right of the altar of incense.

Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall name him John.

And you will have joy and gladness,

and many will rejoice at his birth,

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,

and he will turn many of the children of Israel

to the Lord their God.

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah

to turn the hearts of fathers toward children

and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,

to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”