Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Jehovah the keeper of his people.

A Song of Ascents.

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the ^[a]captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. ² In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, ³ the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.

⁴ And I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire ^[b]infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof ^[c]as it were glowing ^[d]metal, out of the midst of the fire. ⁵ And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man; ⁶ and every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings. ⁷ And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass. ⁸ And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus: ⁹ their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. ¹⁰ As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle. ^11 [e]And their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. ¹² And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went. ¹³ As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. ¹⁴ And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

¹⁵ Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof. ¹⁶ The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel ^[f]within a wheel. ¹⁷ When they went, they went ^[g]in their four directions: they turned not when they went. ¹⁸ As for their ^[h]rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about. ¹⁹ And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. ²⁰ Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up ^[i]beside them; for the spirit ^[j]of the living creature was in the wheels. ²¹ When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit ^[k]of the living creature was in the wheels.

²² And over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible ^[l]crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above. ²³ And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered ^[m]on this side, and every one had two which covered ^[n]on that side, their bodies. ²⁴ And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings. ²⁵ And there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.

¹⁹ and he took food and was strengthened.

And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God. ²¹ And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on this name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests. ²² But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

²³ And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him: ²⁵ but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

²⁶ And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, ²⁹ preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake and disputed against the ^[a]Grecian Jews; but they were seeking to kill him. ³⁰ And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being ^[b]edified; and, walking ^[c]in the fear of the Lord and ^[d]in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.