Third Sunday of Advent – December 13, 2026

⁷But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

⁸Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.

⁹Now that he ascended, what is it, but because he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

¹⁰He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

¹¹And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

¹³Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ;

¹⁴That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive.

¹⁵But doing the truth in charity, we may in all things grow up in him who is the head, even Christ:

¹⁶From whom the whole body, being compacted and fitly joined together, by what every joint supplieth, according to the operation in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in charity.

¹I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.

²Our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem.

³Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.

⁴For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.

⁵Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David.

¹¹Say to them: As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: and why will you die, O house of Israel?

¹And there were present, at that very time, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

²And he answering, said to them: Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things?

³No, I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

⁴Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

⁵No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

⁶He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.

⁷And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumbereth it the ground?

⁸But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it.

⁹And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

¹The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up.

²To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

¹⁰I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation: and with the robe of justice he hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels.

¹¹For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth her seed to shoot forth: so shall the Lord God make justice to spring forth, and praise before all the nations.

⁴⁶And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.

⁴⁷And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

⁴⁸Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

⁴⁹Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.

⁵⁰And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.

⁵³He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

⁵⁴He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:

¹⁶Always rejoice.

¹⁷Pray without ceasing.

¹⁸In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.

¹⁹Extinguish not the spirit.

²⁰Despise not prophecies.

²¹But prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

²²From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves.

²³And may the God of peace himself sanctify you in all things; that your whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴He is faithful who hath called you, who also will do it.

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

⁷This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.

⁸He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

¹⁹And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou?

²⁰And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ.

²¹And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.

²²They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?

²³He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias.

²⁴And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees.

²⁵And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?

²⁶John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not.

²⁷The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.

²⁸These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.