Song of Solomon 2:3

⁵Who is this who comes up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Beloved Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother conceived you. There she was in labor and bore you.

⁴For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat, when the blast of the dreaded ones is like a storm against the wall.

²A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the storm, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a large rock in a weary land.

¹God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. ³His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. ⁵For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?”and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?”

⁶When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”

²looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born^[+] of the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’” ¹⁶From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. ¹⁷For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.^18[+] No one has seen God at any time. The only born^[+] Son,^[+] who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.

¹⁶His mouth is sweetness; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.

⁹How is your beloved better than another beloved, you fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us?

¹⁰My beloved is white and ruddy. The best among ten thousand.

⁶There will be a pavilion for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a refuge and for a shelter from storm and from rain.

¹²By the river banks, on both sides, will grow every tree for food, whose leaf won’t wither, neither will its fruit fail. It will produce new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary. Its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for healing.”