Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
KAF כ
81 My soul faints with longing for Your salvation,
but I still hope in Your word.
82 My eyes are worn out longing for Your promise,
saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83 Though I became like a wineskin dried in smoke,
I do not forget Your decrees.
84 How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on my persecutors?
85 The proud have dug pits for me—
that is not in accord with Your Torah!
86 All Your mitzvot are faithful.
They persecute me with a lie—help me!
87 They almost finished me off on earth.
But I—I will not forsake Your precepts.
88 Revive me with Your lovingkindness,
so I may keep Your mouth’s testimony.
8 Now you, son of man, hear what I say to you: do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat what I am giving to you.”
9 I looked, and behold, a hand was stretched out to me, holding a written scroll. 10 He spread it out before me. It was written on, front and back. Written on it were lamentations, dirges and woe.
Eat the Scroll
3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find—eat this scroll. Then go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He gave me that scroll to eat, 3 as He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” I ate it and it tasted as sweet as honey.
4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of unintelligible speech and difficult tongue, but to the house of Israel, 6 nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult tongue, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel has a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. 8 Look, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 I will make your forehead like adamant, harder than flint. Do not fear them. Do not be dismayed by their faces, for they are a rebellious house.”
10 Furthermore, He said to me: “Son of man, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all My words that I will speak to you. 11 Go to the exiles, to the children of your people. Speak to them. Tell them, ‘Thus says Adonai Elohim.’ Whether they will listen or whether they will refuse to listen.”
Paul Boasts in the Lord
16 I say again, let no one consider me to be a fool. But if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I also may boast a little. 17 What I am saying, I am saying not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this self-confident boasting. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you, being so wise, put up with fools gladly. 20 For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone puts on airs, if someone slaps you on the face. 21 To my shame I must say that we have been weak.
Yet whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I speak in foolishness—I dare, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Messiah? I am more so—I speak like I’m out of my mind—in labors much more, in prisons much more, in beatings more brutal, near death often. 24 Five times from the Jewish leaders I received forty lashes minus one. [a] 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent in the open sea. 26 In my many journeys I have been in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the desert, dangers in the sea, dangers among false brothers, 27 in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Besides these other things, there is daily pressure on me of concern for all of Messiah’s communities. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Yeshua, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.[b]
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.