Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 121

The Lord Our Protector

A song of ascents.

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

Vision of the Lord’s Glory

⁴ I looked and there was a whirlwind^(I) coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire, there was a gleam like amber.^{(J) 5} The form of four living creatures came from it.^(K) And this was their appearance: They had human form, ⁶ but each of them had four faces and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, sparkling like the gleam of polished bronze.^{(L) 8} They had human hands under their wings on their four sides.^(M) All four of them had faces and wings.^{(N) 9} Their wings were touching. The creatures did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.^{(O) 10} The form of each of their faces was that of a man,^(P) and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left, and the face of an eagle.^{(Q) 11} That is what their faces were like. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching that of another and two wings covering its body.^{(R) 12} Each creature went straight ahead.^(S) Wherever the Spirit^[a] wanted to go, they went without turning as they moved.^(T)

¹³ The form of the living creatures was like the appearance of burning coals of fire and torches.^(U) Fire was moving back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, with lightning coming out of it. ¹⁴ The creatures were darting back and forth^(V) like flashes of lightning.^(W)

¹⁵ When I looked at the living creatures, there was one wheel on the ground beside each creature that had four faces. ¹⁶ The appearance of the wheels^(X) and their craftsmanship was like the gleam of beryl,^(Y) and all four had the same form. Their appearance and craftsmanship was like a wheel within a wheel. ¹⁷ When they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved. ¹⁸ Their rims were large and frightening. Each of their four rims were full of eyes^(Z) all around. ¹⁹ So when the living creatures moved,^(AA) the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels also rose. ²⁰ Wherever the Spirit^[b] wanted to go, the creatures went in the direction the Spirit was moving. The wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹ When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

²² The shape of an expanse,^(AB) with a gleam like awe-inspiring crystal,^(AC) was spread out over the heads of the living creatures.^{(AD) 23} And under the expanse their wings extended one toward another. Each of them also had two wings covering their bodies. ²⁴ When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of mighty waters,^(AE) like the voice of the Almighty,^(AF) and a sound of commotion like the noise of an army.^(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

²⁵ A voice came from above the expanse over their heads; when they stood still, they lowered their wings.

¹⁹ And after taking some food, he regained his strength.^(A)

Saul Proclaiming the Messiah

Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. ²⁰ Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”^(B)

²¹ But all who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^(C)

²² But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.

²³ After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him,^{(D) 25} but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.^(E)

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶ When he arrived in Jerusalem,^(F) he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. ²⁷ Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that He had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly^(G) in the name of Jesus.^{(H) 28} Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a] but they attempted to kill him.^{(I) 30} When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.^(J)

³¹ So the church^(K) throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers.