Jesus came to Galilee in Spirit-given power,

And His name moved through the region from village into tower.

He taught within the synagogues and honor filled the sound,

Then Nazareth received the One who'd grown upon its ground.

On Sabbath He stood up to read; Isaiah's scroll was placed,

He found the words of Spirit, poor, imprisoned, blind, displaced.

Good news, release, recovery, the acceptable year,

Then He closed the book and sat while every eye drew near.

Today this Scripture is fulfilled,

Not someday beyond the hill.

The words they knew were standing there,

Breathing Nazareth's own air.

Today this Scripture is fulfilled,

And wonder turned from warm to wild.

The town that praised the gracious words

Would drive Him toward the mountainside.

They marveled first at gracious speech, then measured family ties:

Was this not Joseph's son they knew before their very eyes?

He named the proverb in their thoughts, the miracle demanded,

But no prophet finds acceptance where familiarity commands it.

Then Elijah's famine widow stood like tinder in the room,

A Gentile fed while Israel suffered under drought and gloom.

Naaman too, the Syrian, cleansed when Israel's lepers stayed,

And mercy crossing boundaries made hometown favor fade.

Wonder became anger,

Pride became a shove.

They wanted signs for Nazareth,

Not mercy widened out in love.

The synagogue rose furious and forced Him from the town,

Toward the brow above the valley where they meant to cast Him down.

But He passed through the middle of the crowd and went His way,

Leaving Nazareth with Scripture still fulfilled that very day.

Today this Scripture is fulfilled,

The poor hear news, the bound hear liberty.

Today this Scripture is fulfilled,

The blind receive a word of sight to see.

Yet grace that will not flatter pride

Can turn applause to fury's tide.

The scroll was closed, the road began,

And Jesus passed untouched through them.