Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
כ Kaph
81 I deeply long for you to save me.
I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes grow tired looking for what you have promised.
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
83 I’m as useless as a wineskin that smoke has dried up.
But I don’t forget to follow your orders.
84 How long do I have to wait?
When will you punish those who attack me?
85 Proud people do what is against your law.
They dig pits for me to fall into.
86 All your commands can be trusted.
Help me, because people attack me without any reason.
87 They almost wiped me off the face of the earth.
But I have not turned away from your rules.
88 Keep me alive, because of your faithful love.
Do this so that I may obey the covenant laws you have given.
8 Son of man, listen to what I tell you. Do not be like those who refuse to obey me. Open your mouth. Eat what I give you.”
9 Then I looked up. I saw a hand reach out to me. A scroll was in it. 10 He unrolled it in front of me. Both sides had words written on them. They spoke about sadness, sorrow and trouble.
3 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, eat what is in front of 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. Fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it. And it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
4 Then he said to me, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel. Give them my message. 5 I am not sending you to people who speak another language that is hard to learn. Instead, I am sending you to the people of Israel. 6 You are not being sent to many nations whose people speak other languages that are hard to learn. You would not be able to understand them. Suppose I had sent you to them. Then they certainly would have listened to you. 7 But the people of Israel do not want to listen to you. That is because they do not want to listen to me. All the Israelites are very stubborn. 8 But I will make you just as stubborn as they are. 9 I will make you very brave. So do not be afraid of them. Do not let them terrify you, even though they refuse to obey me.”
10 He continued, “Son of man, listen carefully. Take to heart everything I tell you. 11 Go now to your own people who were brought here as prisoners. Speak to them. Tell them, ‘Here is what the Lord and King says.’ Speak to them whether they listen or not.”
Paul Brags About His Sufferings
16 I will say it again. Don’t let anyone think I’m a fool. But if you do, put up with me just as you would put up with a fool. Then I can do a little bragging. 17 When I brag about myself like this, I’m not talking the way the Lord would. I’m talking like a fool. 18 Many are bragging the way the people of the world do. So I will brag like that too. 19 You are so wise! You gladly put up with fools! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who makes you a slave or uses you. You put up with those who take advantage of you. You put up with those who claim to be better than you. You put up with those who slap you in the face. 21 I’m ashamed to have to say that I was too weak for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to brag about, I also dare to brag about. I’m speaking like a fool! 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Do they belong to the people of Israel? So do I. Are they Abraham’s children? So am I. 23 Are they serving Christ? I am serving him even more. I’m out of my mind to talk like this! I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I almost died. 24 Five times the Jews gave me 39 strokes with a whip. 25 Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once they tried to kill me by throwing stones at me. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 I have had to keep on the move. I have been in danger from rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from my fellow Jews and in danger from Gentiles. I have been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I have been in danger from people who pretended they were believers. 27 I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, every day I am concerned about all the churches. It is a very heavy load. 29 If anyone is weak, I feel weak. If anyone is led into sin, I burn on the inside.
30 If I have to brag, I will brag about the things that show how weak I am. 31 I am not lying. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows this. May God be praised forever. 32 In Damascus the governor who served under King Aretas had their city guarded. He wanted to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall. So I escaped from the governor.
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