Ezekiel’s commissioning

2 The voice said to me: Human one, stand on your feet, and I’ll speak to you. ² As he spoke to me, a wind^[a] came to me and stood me on my feet, and I heard someone addressing me. ³ He said to me: Human one, I’m sending you to the Israelites, a traitorous and rebellious people. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. ⁴ I’m sending you to their hardheaded and hard-hearted descendants, and you will say to them: The Lord God proclaims. ⁵ Whether they listen or whether they refuse, since they are a household of rebels, they will know that a prophet has been among them.

⁶ And as for you, human one, don’t be afraid of them or their words. Don’t be afraid! You possess thistles and thorns that subdue scorpions.^[b] Don’t be afraid of their words or shrink from their presence, because they are a household of rebels. ⁷ You’ll speak my words to them whether they listen or whether they refuse. They are just a household^[c] of rebels!

⁸ As for you, human one, listen to what I say to you. Don’t become rebellious like that household of rebels. Open your mouth and eat what I give you. ⁹ Then I looked, and there in a hand stretched out to me was a scroll. ¹⁰ He spread it open in front of me, and it was filled with writing on both sides, songs of mourning, lamentation, and doom.

3 Then he said to me: Human one, eat this thing that you’ve found. Eat this scroll and go, speak to the house of Israel. ² So I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll. ³ He said to me: Human one, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you. So I ate it, and in my mouth it became as sweet as honey.

Jesus in his hometown

6 Jesus left that place and came to his hometown. His disciples followed him. ² On the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were surprised. “Where did this man get all this? What’s this wisdom he’s been given? What about the powerful acts accomplished through him? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t he Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were repulsed by him and fell into sin.

⁴ Jesus said to them, “Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometowns, among their relatives, and in their own households.” ⁵ He was unable to do any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ He was appalled by their disbelief.

Sending out the disciples

Then Jesus traveled through the surrounding villages teaching.

⁷ He called for the Twelve and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority over unclean spirits. ⁸ He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick—no bread, no bags, and no money in their belts. ⁹ He told them to wear sandals but not to put on two shirts. ¹⁰ He said, “Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. ¹¹ If a place doesn’t welcome you or listen to you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them.” ¹² So they went out and proclaimed that people should change their hearts and lives. ¹³ They cast out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them.