Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Call of Ezekiel to Speak God’s Words

2 And he said to me, “Son of man,^[a] stand on your feet, so that I can speak with you.” ² And the Spirit^[b] came into me as he was speaking to me, and it set me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me. ³ And he said to me, “Son of man,^[c] I am sending you to the Israelites,^[d] to nations^[e] who are rebelling, who rebelled against me, they and their ancestors,^[f] they transgressed against me until this very day.^{[g] 4} And the children^[h] are impudent^[i] and stubborn,^[j] and so I am sending you to them, and you must say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh!’ ⁵ And they, whether they listen or whether they fail to listen, for they are a rebellious house, they will know that a prophet was in their midst.

Prayer for Yahweh’s Action in the Face of Scorn

A song of ascents.^[a]

² I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven, ³ and I know this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴ that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not permitted for a person to speak. ⁵ On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. ⁶ For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything from me, ⁷ even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself. ⁸ Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. ⁹ And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the^[a] power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Rejected at Nazareth

6 And he went out from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ² And when^[a] the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him^[b] were amazed, saying, “Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom that has been granted to this man, and the miracles such as these performed through his hands? ³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they were offended by him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own household.” ⁵ And he was not able to do any miracle in that place except to lay his^[c] hands on a few sick people and^[d] heal them.^{[e] 6} And he was astonished because of their unbelief.

The Twelve Commissioned and Sent Out

And he was going around among the villages teaching. ⁷ And he summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ And he commanded them that they take along nothing for the journey except only a staff—no bread, no traveler’s bag, no money in their^[f] belts— ⁹ but to put on sandals and not to wear two tunics. ¹⁰ And he said to them, “Whenever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. ¹¹ And whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, as you^[g] go out from there, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.” ¹² And they went out and^[h] proclaimed that people^[i] should repent. ¹³ And they were expelling many demons and anointing many sick people with olive oil and healing them.^[j]