Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the K’var River, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. ² On the fifth day of the month, which was during the fifth year of King Y’hoyakhin’s exile, ³ the word of Adonai came to the cohen Yechezk’el son of Buzi, in the land of the Kasdim by the K’var River; there the hand of Adonai was on him.

⁸ But you, human being, hear what I am telling you: don’t you be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat what I am about to give you.”

⁹ When I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me, holding a scroll. ¹⁰ He spread it out in front of me, and it was covered with writing front and back. Written on it were laments, dirges and woes.

3 He said to me, “Human being, eat what you see in front of you; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the house of Isra’el.” ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat, ³ as he said, “Human being, eat this scroll I am giving you; fill your insides with it.” When I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey.

10 Next I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, his legs like columns of fire; ² and he had a little scroll lying open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, ³ and shouted in a voice as loud as the roar of a lion; and when he shouted, seven thunderclaps sounded with voices that spoke. ⁴ When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say,

⁵ Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted his right hand toward heaven ⁶ and swore by the One who lives forever and ever,^[a] who created heaven and what is in it, earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it:^[b] “There will be no more delay; ⁷ on the contrary, in the days of the sound from the seventh angel when he sounds his shofar, the hidden plan of God will be brought to completion, the Good News as he proclaimed it to his servants the prophets.”

⁸ Next the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the scroll lying open in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land!” ⁹ So I went over to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” ¹⁰ I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it; and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; but after I had swallowed it, my stomach turned bitter. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”