The Collection for the Lord’s People

8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian^(A) churches. ² In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.^{(B) 3} For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,^(C) and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴ they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing^(D) in this service^(E) to the Lord’s people.^{(F) 5} And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. ⁶ So we urged^(G) Titus,^(H) just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion^(I) this act of grace on your part. ⁷ But since you excel in everything^(J)—in faith, in speech, in knowledge,^(K) in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

⁸ I am not commanding you,^(L) but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. ⁹ For you know the grace^(M) of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(N) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,^(O) so that you through his poverty might become rich.^(P)

¹⁰ And here is my judgment^(Q) about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.^{(R) 11} Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness^(S) to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. ¹² For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,^(T) not according to what one does not have.

¹³ Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. ¹⁴ At the present time your plenty will supply what they need,^(U) so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, ¹⁵ as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”^[b](V)

Titus Sent to Receive the Collection

¹⁶ Thanks be to God,^(W) who put into the heart^(X) of Titus^(Y) the same concern I have for you. ¹⁷ For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.^{(Z) 18} And we are sending along with him the brother^(AA) who is praised by all the churches^(AB) for his service to the gospel.^{(AC) 19} What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us^(AD) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.^{(AE) 20} We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. ²¹ For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.^(AF)

²² In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for Titus,^(AG) he is my partner^(AH) and co-worker^(AI) among you; as for our brothers,^(AJ) they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you,^(AK) so that the churches can see it.

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles^(A) by the Kebar River,^(B) the heavens were opened^(C) and I saw visions^(D) of God.

² On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin^(E)— ³ the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel^(F) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.^[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.^(G)

⁴ I looked, and I saw a windstorm^(H) coming out of the north^(I)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,^{(J) 5} and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.^(K) In appearance their form was human,^{(L) 6} but each of them had four faces^(M) and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.^{(N) 8} Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.^(O) All four of them had faces and wings, ⁹ and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.^(P)

¹⁰ Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.^{(Q) 11} Such were their faces. They each had two wings^(R) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. ¹² Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.^{(S) 13} The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals^(T) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning^(U) flashed out of it. ¹⁴ The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.^(V)

¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures,^(W) I saw a wheel^(X) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. ¹⁶ This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,^(Y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. ¹⁷ As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction^(Z) as the creatures went. ¹⁸ Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes^(AA) all around.

¹⁹ When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. ²⁰ Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,^(AB) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹ When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.^(AC)

²² Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,^(AD) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. ²³ Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. ²⁴ When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing^(AE) waters, like the voice^(AF) of the Almighty,^[b] like the tumult of an army.^(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

²⁵ Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. ²⁶ Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne^(AH) of lapis lazuli,^(AI) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.^{(AJ) 27} I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.^{(AK) 28} Like the appearance of a rainbow^(AL) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.^(AM)

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory^(AN) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,^(AO) and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet

2 He said to me, “Son of man,^[c](AP) stand^(AQ) up on your feet and I will speak to you.^(AR)” ² As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me^(AS) to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

³ He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.^{(AT) 4} The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.^(AU) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’^{(AV) 5} And whether they listen or fail to listen^(AW)—for they are a rebellious people^(AX)—they will know that a prophet has been among them.^{(AY) 6} And you, son of man, do not be afraid^(AZ) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns^(BA) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^{(BB) 7} You must speak^(BC) my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.^{(BD) 8} But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel^(BE) like that rebellious people;^(BF) open your mouth and eat^(BG) what I give you.”

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