Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 148

⁸ But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel^(A) like that rebellious people;^(B) open your mouth and eat^(C) what I give you.”

⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand^(D) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,^{(E) 10} which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.^(F)

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

³ Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate^(G) it, and it tasted as sweet as honey^(H) in my mouth.

⁴ He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.^{(I) 5} You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,^(J) but to the people of Israel— ⁶ not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.^{(K) 7} But the people of Israel are not willing to listen^(L) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.^{(M) 8} But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.^{(N) 9} I will make your forehead^(O) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.^(P) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^(Q)”

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart^(R) all the words I speak to you. ¹¹ Go^(S) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’^(T) whether they listen or fail to listen.^(U)”

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel^(A) coming down from heaven.^(B) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow^(C) above his head; his face was like the sun,^(D) and his legs were like fiery pillars.^{(E) 2} He was holding a little scroll,^(F) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,^{(G) 3} and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.^(H) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders^(I) spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;^(J) but I heard a voice from heaven^(K) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”^(L)

⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land^(M) raised his right hand to heaven.^{(N) 6} And he swore^(O) by him who lives for ever and ever,^(P) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,^(Q) and said, “There will be no more delay!^{(R) 7} But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,^(S) the mystery^(T) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”^(U)

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven^(V) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll^(W) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’^[a]”^{(X) 10} I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,^(Y) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy^(Z) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”^(AA)