Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁷ The word of Adonai came to me: ¹⁸ “Human being, shake as you eat your food; tremble anxiously as you drink your water; ¹⁹ and say to the people of the land, ‘Here is what Adonai Elohim says concerning those living in Yerushalayim in the land of Isra’el: “They will eat their bread in anxiety and drink their water in horror; because the land will be desolated from everything that fills it, due to the violence of those living there. ²⁰ The inhabited cities will be laid waste, the land will be desolate, and you will know that I am Adonai.”’”

²¹ The word of Adonai came to me: ²² “Human being, don’t you have this proverb in the land of Isra’el, ‘Time keeps passing, and none of the visions are fulfilled’? ²³ Therefore tell them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘I will put an end to that proverb; never again will they use it as a proverb in Isra’el.’ Tell them, ‘The time has come for the fulfillment of every vision. ²⁴ There will no longer be empty visions or falsely optimistic divinations in the house of Isra’el, ²⁵ because I am Adonai. I will speak; and whatever statement I make, it will be accomplished. It will no longer be delayed; for in your days, you rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it,’ says Adonai Elohim.”

²⁶ Again, the word of Adonai came to me: ²⁷ “Human being, look! People from the house of Isra’el are saying, ‘The vision he sees concerns the distant future; he is prophesying about a time far off.’ ²⁸ Therefore, say to them that Adonai Elohim says, ‘None of my words will be delayed any more, but the word that I speak will be accomplished,’ says Adonai Elohim.”

¹¹ Brothers, stop speaking against each other! Whoever speaks against a brother or judges a brother is speaking against Torah and judging Torah. And if you judge Torah, you are not a doer of what Torah says, but a judge. ¹² There is but one Giver of Torah; he is also the Judge, with the power to deliver and to destroy. Who do you think you are, judging your fellow human being?

¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a city, stay there a year trading and make a profit”! ¹⁴ You don’t even know if you will be alive tomorrow! For all you are is a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If Adonai wants it to happen, we will live” to do this or that. ¹⁶ But as it is, in your arrogance you boast. All such boasting is evil.