Luke 2:8-14: "And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'"
Romans 8:31-34: "What the shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."
1 Peter 3:18-19: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison."
Ephesians 1:3-14: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
"In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."
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The text is public domain:
All my heart again rejoices
As I hear
Far and near
Sweetest angel voices.
"Christ is born!" their choirs are singing
Till the air
Ev'rywhere
Now with joy is ringing.
Hear! The Conqueror has spoken:
"Now the foe,
Sin and woe,
Death and hell are broken!"
God is man, man to deliver,
And the Son
Now is one
With our blood forever.
Should we fear our God's displeasure,
Who, to save,
Freely gave
His most precious treasure?
To redeem us He has given
His own Son
From the throne
Of His might in heaven.
See the Lamb, our sin once taking
To the cross,
Suff'ring loss,
Full atonement making.
For our life His own He tenders,
And His grace
All our race
Fit for glory renders.
Softly from His lowly manger
Jesus calls
One and all,
"You are safe from danger.
Children, from the sins that grieve you
You are freed;
All you need
I will surely give you."
Come, then, banish all your sadness!
One and all,
Great and small,
Come with songs of gladness.
We shall live with Him forever
There on high
In that joy
Which will vanish never.
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The first verse clearly comes from Luke 2, where the angel announces Jesus' birth.
The third verse comes from the Romans 8 text, specifically the rhetorical question "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"
In the fourth verse, the lines "For our life His own He tenders, / And His grace / All our race / Fit for glory renders" comes from "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" in 1 Peter 3.
The Ephesians text is sort of generally referred to throughout the hymn. The only specific connection I can find (which isn't even that specific) is between our "hav[ing] obtained an inheritance" and the hymn's "We shall live with Him forever / There on high / In that joy / Which will vanish never."
The third verse comes from the Romans 8 text, specifically the rhetorical question "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"
In the fourth verse, the lines "For our life His own He tenders, / And His grace / All our race / Fit for glory renders" comes from "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" in 1 Peter 3.
The Ephesians text is sort of generally referred to throughout the hymn. The only specific connection I can find (which isn't even that specific) is between our "hav[ing] obtained an inheritance" and the hymn's "We shall live with Him forever / There on high / In that joy / Which will vanish never."
