Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
81 I am weak from waiting for you to save me,
but I hope in your word.
82 My eyes are tired from looking for your promise.
When will you comfort me?
83 Even though I am like a wine bag going up in smoke,
I do not forget your demands.
84 How long will I live?
When will you judge those who are hurting me?
85 Proud people have dug pits to trap me.
They have nothing to do with your teachings.
86 All of your commands can be trusted.
Liars are hurting me. Help me!
87 They have almost put me in the grave,
but I have not rejected your orders.
88 Give me life by your love
so I can obey your rules.
8 But you, human, listen to what I say to you. Don’t turn against me as those people do. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”
9 Then I looked and saw a hand stretched out to me, and a scroll was in it. 10 He opened the scroll in front of me. Funeral songs, sad writings, and words about troubles were written on the front and back.
3 Then the Lord said to me, “Human, eat what you find; 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 He said to me, “Human, eat this scroll which I am giving you, and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
4 Then he said to me, “Human, go to the people of Israel, and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to people whose speech you can’t understand, whose language is difficult. You are being sent to Israel. 6 You are not being sent to many nations whose speech you can’t understand, whose language is difficult, whose words you cannot understand. If I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the people of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me. Yes, all the people of Israel are stubborn and will not obey. 8 See, I now make you as stubborn and as hard as they are. 9 I am making you as hard as a diamond, harder than stone. Don’t be afraid of them or be frightened by them, though they are a people who turn against me.”
10 Also, he said to me, “Human, believe all the words I will speak to you, and listen carefully to them. 11 Then go to the captives, your own people, and say to them, ‘The Lord God says this.’ Tell them this whether they listen or not.”
Paul Tells About His Sufferings
16 I tell you again: No one should think I am a fool. But if you think so, accept me as you would accept a fool. Then I can brag a little, too. 17 When I brag because I feel sure of myself, I am not talking as the Lord would talk but as a fool. 18 Many people are bragging about their lives in the world. So I will brag too. 19 You are wise, so you will gladly be patient with fools! 20 You are even patient with those who order you around, or use you, or trick you, or think they are better than you, or hit you in the face. 21 It is shameful to me to say this, but we were too “weak” to do those things to you!
But if anyone else is brave enough to brag, then I also will be brave and brag. (I am talking as a fool.) 22 Are they Hebrews?[a] So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they from Abraham’s family? So am I. 23 Are they serving Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times. 24 Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip. 25 Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost stoned to death. Three times I was in ships that wrecked, and one of those times I spent a night and a day in the sea. 26 I have gone on many travels and have been in danger from rivers, thieves, my own people, the Jews, and those who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities, in places where no one lives, and on the sea. And I have been in danger with false Christians. 27 I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty, and many times I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes. 28 Besides all this, there is on me every day the load of my concern for all the churches. 29 I feel weak every time someone is weak, and I feel upset every time someone is led into sin.
30 If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show I am weak. 31 God knows I am not lying. He is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is to be praised forever. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas wanted to arrest me, so he put guards around the city. 33 But my friends lowered me in a basket through a hole in the city wall. So I escaped from the governor.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.