Leavetaking of the Nativity

But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. ¹³I command you before God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession, ¹⁴that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵which at the right time he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁶He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.

Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all, ¹⁶and commanded them that they should not make him known, ¹⁷that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, ¹⁸“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations. ¹⁹He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets. ²⁰He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory. ²¹In his name, the nations will hope.”