Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Vision of the Lampstand

4 The angel who had been speaking to me came again and roused me as if I had been sleeping. ² “What do you see?” he asked.

“A lampstand made of gold,” I answered. “At the top is a bowl for the oil. On the lampstand are seven lamps, each one with places for seven wicks. ^3 (A)There are two olive trees beside the lampstand, one on each side of it.” ⁴ Then I asked the angel, “What do these things stand for, sir?”

⁵ “Don't you know?” he asked me.

“No, I don't, sir,” I replied.

God's Promise to Zerubbabel

⁶ The angel told me to give Zerubbabel this message from the Lord: “You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by my spirit. ⁷ Obstacles as great as mountains will disappear before you. You will rebuild the Temple, and as you put the last stone in place, the people will shout, ‘Beautiful, beautiful!’”

Jesus Rejoices^(A)

²¹ At that time Jesus was filled with joy by the Holy Spirit^[a] and said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen.

^22 (B)“My Father has given me all things. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³ Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said to them privately, “How fortunate you are to see the things you see! ²⁴ I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.”