The Vision of the Chariot

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

⁴ As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually and in the middle of the fire something like gleaming amber.^{(C) 5} In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form.^{(D) 6} Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.^{(E) 7} Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot, and they sparkled like burnished bronze.^{(F) 8} Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:^{(G) 9} their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. ¹⁰ As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle;^{(H) 11} such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.^{(I) 12} Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. ¹³ In the middle of^[a] the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire.^{(J) 14} The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.^(K)

²⁵ Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to^[a] Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.^(A)

Barnabas and Saul Commissioned

13 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a childhood friend of Herod the ruler,^[b] and Saul.^{(B) 2} While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”^{(C) 3} Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.^(D)

The Apostles Preach in Cyprus

⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.^{(E) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And they had John also to assist them.^{(F) 6} When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus.^{(G) 7} He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.^{(H) 8} But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.^{(I) 9} But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him^{(J) 10} and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?^{(K) 11} And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he fumbled about for someone to lead him by the hand.^{(L) 12} When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia

¹³ Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem,^(M)