The Visit of the Shepherds. 15When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. 20Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

24The woman bore a son and named him Samson, and when the boy grew up the LORD blessed him.
25The spirit of the LORD came upon him for the first time^h in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Marriage of Samson.
1Samson went down to Timnah where he saw one of the Philistine women.
2On his return he told his father and mother, “I saw in Timnah a woman, a Philistine. Get her for me as a wife.”
3 His father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among your kinsfolk or among all your people, that you must go and take a woman from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson answered his father, “Get her for me, for she is the one I want.”
4 Now his father and mother did not know that this had been brought about by the LORD, who was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines; for at that time they ruled over Israel.

3Thus says the LORD:

I have returned to Zion,

and I will dwell within Jerusalem;

Jerusalem will be called the faithful city,^{* b}

and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.

4Thus says the LORD of hosts:

Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of old age.^c 5The city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.

6Thus says the LORD of hosts:

Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it seem impossible in my eyes also?^d—oracle of the LORD of hosts.

7Thus says the LORD of hosts:

I am going to rescue my people from the land of the rising sun, and from the land of the setting sun. 8I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God,^e in faithfulness and justice.

9Thus says the LORD of hosts:

Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words which were spoken by the prophets when the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid^* for the building of the temple.^f 10For before those days, there were no wages for people, nor hire for animals. Those who came and went were not safe from the enemy, for I set neighbor against neighbor. 11But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in former days—oracle of the LORD of hosts.

12For there will be a sowing of peace:

the vine will yield its fruit,

the land will yield its crops,

and the heavens^* will yield their dew.

I will give all these things to the remnant of this people to possess.

Jesus, Superior to Moses.^* 1Therefore, holy “brothers,” sharing in a heavenly calling, reflect on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2who was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was “faithful in [all] his house.”^a 3But he is worthy of more “glory” than Moses, as the founder of a house has more “honor” than the house itself.^b 4Every house is founded by someone, but the founder of all is God. 5Moses was “faithful in all his house” as a “servant” to testify to what would be spoken, 6^{* c} but Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.