Ezekiel in Babylon

1 ^(A)In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by ^(B)the Chebar canal, ^(C)the heavens were opened, and I saw ^(D)visions of God.^{[a] 2} On the fifth day of the month (it was ^(E)the fifth year of ^(F)the exile of King Jehoiachin), ³ the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel ^(G)the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by ^(H)the Chebar canal, and ^(I)the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

The Glory of the Lord

⁴ As I looked, behold, ^(J)a stormy wind came ^(K)out of the north, and a great cloud, with ^(L)brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, ^(M)as it were gleaming metal.^{[b] 5} And from the midst of it came the likeness of ^(N)four living creatures. ^(O)And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, ^6 (P)but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled ^(Q)like burnished bronze. ⁸ Under their wings ^(R)on their four sides ^(S)they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: ⁹ their wings touched one another. ^(T)Each one of them went straight forward, ^(U)without turning as they went. ¹⁰ As for the likeness of their faces, ^(V)each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹ Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while ^(W)two covered their bodies. ^12 (X)And each went straight forward. ^(Y)Wherever the spirit^[c] would go, they went, without turning as they went. ¹³ As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was ^(Z)like burning coals of fire, ^(AA)like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. ^(AB)And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. ¹⁴ And the living creatures ^(AC)darted to and fro, ^(AD)like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

^21 (A)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(B)doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled ^(C)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(D)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(E)above reproach before him, ^23 (F)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(G)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(H)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(I)in all creation^[a] under heaven, ^(J)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now ^(K)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(L)I am filling up ^(M)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(N)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ^25 (O)of which I became a minister according to ^(P)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ^26 (Q)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ^27 (R)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(S)the riches of the glory of ^(T)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(U)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(V)we may present everyone ^(W)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(X)I toil, ^(Y)struggling ^(Z)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2 For I want you to know ^(AA)how great a ^(AB)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ² that ^(AC)their hearts may be encouraged, being ^(AD)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^(AE)God's mystery, which is Christ, ^3 (AF)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this in order ^(AG)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵ For ^(AH)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your ^(AI)good order and ^(AJ)the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

^6 (AK)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ^7 (AL)rooted and ^(AM)built up in him and ^(AN)established in the faith, just ^(AO)as you were taught, abounding ^(AP)in thanksgiving.

^15 (A)Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.^{[a] 16 (B)}As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like ^(C)the gleaming of beryl. ^(D)And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. ^17 (E)When they went, they went ^(F)in any of their four directions^{[b] (G)}without turning as they went. ¹⁸ And their rims were tall and awesome, ^(H)and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. ^19 (I)And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; ^(J)and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. ^20 (K)Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, ^(L)for the spirit of the living creatures^[c] was in the wheels. ^21 (M)When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; ^(N)and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, ^(O)for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

²² Over the heads of the living creatures there was ^(P)the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring ^(Q)crystal, spread out above their heads. ²³ And under the expanse their wings were ^(R)stretched out straight, one toward another. ^(S)And each creature had two wings covering its body. ²⁴ And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings ^(T)like the sound of many waters, like ^(U)the sound of the ^(V)Almighty, a sound of tumult ^(W)like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. ²⁵ And there came a voice from above ^(X)the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

²⁶ And above the expanse over their heads there was ^(Y)the likeness of a throne, ^(Z)in appearance ^(AA)like sapphire;^[d] and seated above the likeness of a throne was ^(AB)a likeness with a human appearance. ²⁷ And ^(AC)upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were ^(AD)gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and ^(AE)there was brightness around him.^{[e] 28} Like the appearance of ^(AF)the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.

Such was the appearance of the likeness of ^(AG)the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, ^(AH)I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

14 ^(A)“Let not your hearts be troubled. ^(B)Believe in God;^[a] believe also in me. ² In ^(C)my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that ^(D)I go to prepare a place for you?^{[b] 3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you ^(E)to myself, that ^(F)where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.”^{[c] 5 (G)}Thomas said to him, “Lord, ^(H)we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am ^(I)the way, and ^(J)the truth, and ^(K)the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ^7 (L)If you had known me, you would have ^(M)known my Father also.^[d] From now on you do know him and ^(N)have seen him.”

^8 (O)Philip said to him, “Lord, ^(P)show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? ^(Q)Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that ^(R)I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you ^(S)I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that ^(T)I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else ^(U)believe on account of the works themselves.

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(V)whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I ^(W)am going to the Father. ^13 (X)Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that ^(Y)the Father may be glorified in the Son. ^14 (Z)If you ask me^[e] anything in my name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

^15 (AA)“If you love me, you will ^(AB)keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another ^(AC)Helper,^[f] to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even ^(AD)the Spirit of truth, ^(AE)whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and ^(AF)will be^[g] in you.

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans; ^(AG)I will come to you. ^19 (AH)Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but ^(AI)you will see me. ^(AJ)Because I live, you also will live. ^20 (AK)In that day you will know that ^(AL)I am in my Father, and ^(AM)you in me, and ^(AN)I in you. ^21 (AO)Whoever has my commandments and ^(AP)keeps them, he it is who loves me. And ^(AQ)he who loves me ^(AR)will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and ^(AS)manifest myself to him.” ^22 (AT)Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it ^(AU)that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, ^(AV)“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and ^(AW)we will come to him and ^(AX)make our home with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And ^(AY)the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the ^(AZ)Helper, the Holy Spirit, ^(BA)whom the Father will send in my name, ^(BB)he will teach you all things and ^(BC)bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ^27 (BD)Peace I leave with you; ^(BE)my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. ^(BF)Let not your hearts be troubled, neither ^(BG)let them be afraid. ^28 (BH)You heard me say to you, ^(BI)‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I ^(BJ)am going to the Father, for ^(BK)the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And ^(BL)now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for ^(BM)the ruler of this world is coming. ^(BN)He has no claim on me, ³¹ but I do ^(BO)as the Father has commanded me, ^(BP)so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.