Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Kaph.
81 My (A)soul languishes for Your salvation;
I [a](B)wait for Your word.
82 My (C)eyes fail with longing for Your [b]word,
[c]While I say, “When will You comfort me?”
83 Though I have (D)become like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do (E)not forget Your statutes.
84 How many are the (F)days of Your servant?
When will You (G)execute judgment on those who persecute me?
85 The arrogant have (H)dug pits for me,
Men who are not [d]in accord with Your law.
86 All Your commandments are (I)faithful;
They have (J)persecuted me with a lie; (K)help me!
87 They almost destroyed me [e]on earth,
But as for me, I (L)did not forsake Your precepts.
88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
8 “Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and (A)eat what I am giving you.” 9 Then I looked, and behold, a (B)hand was extended to me; and lo, a [a](C)scroll was in it. 10 When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and (D)woe.
Ezekiel’s Commission
3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; (E)eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I (F)opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and (G)fill your [b]body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I (H)ate it, and it was sweet as (I)honey in my mouth.
4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, [c]go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. 5 For (J)you are not being sent to a people of [d](K)unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, 6 nor to many peoples of [e]unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. [f]But I have sent you to them [g]who should listen to you; 7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are (L)not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is [h]stubborn and obstinate. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like [i]emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My (M)words which I will speak to you and listen [j]closely. 11 [k]Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or [l]not, ‘Thus says the Lord [m]God.’”
16 (A)Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little. 17 What I am saying, I am not saying [a](B)as the Lord would, but as (C)in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Since (D)many boast (E)according to the flesh, I will boast also. 19 For you, (F)being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. 20 For you tolerate it if anyone (G)enslaves you, anyone (H)devours you, anyone (I)takes advantage of you, anyone (J)exalts himself, anyone (K)hits you in the face. 21 To my (L)shame I must say that we have been (M)weak by comparison.
But in whatever respect anyone else (N)is bold—I (O)speak in foolishness—I am just as bold myself. 22 Are they (P)Hebrews? (Q)So am I. Are they (R)Israelites? (S)So am I. Are they [b](T)descendants of Abraham? (U)So am I. 23 Are they (V)servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in [c](W)far more labors, in [d](X)far more imprisonments, [e](Y)beaten times without number, often in (Z)danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews (AA)thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was (AB)beaten with rods, once I was (AC)stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my (AD)countrymen, dangers from the (AE)Gentiles, dangers in the (AF)city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among (AG)false brethren; 27 I have been in (AH)labor and hardship, [f]through many sleepless nights, in (AI)hunger and thirst, often (AJ)without food, in cold and [g](AK)exposure. 28 Apart from such [h]external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for (AL)all the churches. 29 Who is (AM)weak without my being weak? Who is [i]led into sin [j]without my intense concern?
30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my (AN)weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, (AO)He who is blessed forever, (AP)knows that I am not lying. 32 In (AQ)Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was (AR)guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33 and I was let down in a basket (AS)through a window [k]in the wall, and so escaped his hands.
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