Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 20, 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.

¹And it came to pass when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,

²He said to Nathan the prophet: Dost thou see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is lodged within skins?

³And Nathan said to the king: Go, do all that is in thy heart: because the Lord is with thee.

⁴But it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

⁵Go, and say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord: Shalt thou build me a house to dwell in?

⁸I took thee out of the pastures from following the sheep to be ruler over my people Israel:

⁹And I have been with thee wheresoever thou hast walked, and have slain all thy enemies from before thy face: and I have made thee a great man, like unto the name of the great ones that are on the earth.

¹⁰And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall dwell therein, and shall be disturbed no more: neither shall the children of iniquity afflict them any more as they did before,

¹¹From the day that I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give thee rest from all thy enemies. And the Lord foretelleth to thee, that the Lord will make thee a house.

¹²And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹⁴I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.

¹⁶And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.

²The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.

³For thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever in the heavens: thy truth shall be prepared in them.

⁴I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant:

⁵Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation.

²⁷He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation.

²⁹I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him.

²⁵Now to him that is able to establish you, according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret from eternity,

²⁶(Which now is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the precept of the eternal God, for the obedience of faith,) known among all nations;

²⁷To God the only wise, through Jesus Christ, to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

²⁶And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,

²⁷To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

²⁸And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

²⁹Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.

³⁰And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

³¹Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

³²He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.

³³And of his kingdom there shall be no end.

³⁴And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?

³⁵And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

³⁶And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:

³⁷Because no word shall be impossible with God.

³⁸And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.