כ Kaph

⁸ But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel^(A) like that rebellious people;^(B) open your mouth and eat^(C) what I give you.”

⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand^(D) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,^{(E) 10} which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.^(F)

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

³ Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate^(G) it, and it tasted as sweet as honey^(H) in my mouth.

⁴ He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.^{(I) 5} You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,^(J) but to the people of Israel— ⁶ not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.^{(K) 7} But the people of Israel are not willing to listen^(L) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.^{(M) 8} But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.^{(N) 9} I will make your forehead^(O) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.^(P) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^(Q)”

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart^(R) all the words I speak to you. ¹¹ Go^(S) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’^(T) whether they listen or fail to listen.^(U)”

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.^(A) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷ In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,^(B) but as a fool.^{(C) 18} Since many are boasting in the way the world does,^(D) I too will boast.^{(E) 19} You gladly put up with^(F) fools since you are so wise!^{(G) 20} In fact, you even put up with^(H) anyone who enslaves you^(I) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak^(J) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{(K) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(L) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(M) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{(N) 23} Are they servants of Christ?^(O) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(P) been in prison more frequently,^(Q) been flogged more severely,^(R) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(S) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(T) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(U) once I was pelted with stones,^(V) three times I was shipwrecked,^(W) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(X) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(Y) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(Z) 27} I have labored and toiled^(AA) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(AB) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(AC) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(AD) Who is led into sin,^(AE) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(AF) of the things that show my weakness.^{(AG) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(AH) knows^(AI) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(AJ) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(AK)