Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord Appoints Ezekiel to Speak for Him

2 He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet. I will speak to you.” ² As he spoke, the Spirit of the Lord came into me. He raised me to my feet. I heard him speaking to me.

³ He said, “Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel. That nation has refused to obey me. They have turned against me. They and their people of long ago have been against me to this day. ⁴ The people I am sending you to are very stubborn. Tell them, ‘Here is what the Lord and King says.’ ⁵ They might listen, or they might not. After all, they refuse to obey me. But whether they listen or not, they will know that a prophet was among them.

A song for those who go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

² I know a believer in Christ who was taken up to the third heaven 14 years ago. I don’t know if his body was taken up or not. Only God knows. ³ I don’t know if that man was in his body or out of it. Only God knows. But I do know that ⁴ he was taken up to paradise. He heard things there that couldn’t be put into words. They were things that no one is allowed to talk about. ⁵ I will brag about a man like that. But I won’t brag about myself. I will brag only about how weak I am. ⁶ Suppose I decide to brag. That would not make me a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I don’t brag, so that no one will think more of me than they should. People should judge me by what I do and say. ⁷ God has shown me amazing and wonderful things. People should not think more of me because of it. So I wouldn’t become proud of myself, I was given a problem. This problem caused pain in my body. It is a messenger from Satan to make me suffer. ⁸ Three times I begged the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ’s power can rest on me. ¹⁰ Because of how I suffered for Christ, I’m glad that I am weak. I am glad in hard times. I am glad when people say mean things about me. I am glad when things are difficult. And I am glad when people make me suffer. When I am weak, I am strong.

A Prophet Without Honor

6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown of Nazareth. His disciples went with him. ² When the Sabbath day came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given to him? What are these remarkable miracles he is doing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son? Isn’t this the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were not pleased with him at all.

⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own town. He doesn’t receive any honor among his relatives or in his own home.” ⁵ Jesus placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. But he could not do any other miracles there. ⁶ He was amazed because they had no faith.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

Jesus went around teaching from village to village. ⁷ He called the 12 disciples to him. Then he began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits.

⁸ Here is what he told them to do. “Take only a walking stick for your trip. Do not take bread or a bag. Take no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals. But do not take extra clothes. ¹⁰ When you are invited into a house, stay there until you leave town. ¹¹ Some places may not welcome you or listen to you. If they don’t, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a witness against the people living there.”

¹² They went out. And they preached that people should turn away from their sins. ¹³ They drove out many demons. They poured olive oil on many sick people and healed them.