Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 130

Out of the Depths

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A song of the ascents.

Out of the Depths

Ezekiel’s First Vision

1 In the thirtieth year,^[a] in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, when I was among the exiles by the Kebar Canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. ² On the fifth of that month, in the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, ³ the word of the Lord came in a dramatic way^[b] upon Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans,^[c] by the Kebar Canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

⁸ But you, son of man, listen to what I am telling you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”

⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out toward me, and in it there was a rolled-up scroll. ¹⁰ He unrolled it in front of me, and there was writing on both sides. Written on it was: Laments, Groaning, and Woe.

3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat what you have received. Eat this scroll, and then go, speak to the house of Israel.” ² I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll.

³ Then he said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll that I am giving you.” I ate, and in my mouth it was sweet like honey.

The Angel With a Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another powerful angel coming down out of heaven. He was clothed with a cloud, a rainbow was over his head, his face was like the sun, his feet were like pillars of fire, ² and he had in his hand a little scroll, which had been opened. He put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land, ³ and he cried out with a loud voice, just as a lion roars. And when he cried out, the seven thunders spoke using their own voices.

⁴ When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up the things that the seven thunders said, and do not write them down.”

⁵ The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven, ⁶ and he swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created the sky and the things in it, the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it. He said, “There will be no more delay. ⁷ Instead, in the days of the sound made by the seventh angel, that is, when he is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will also be completed, exactly as he made this good news known to his servants the prophets.”

John’s Commission to Prophesy

⁸ The voice that I heard from heaven also spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that has been opened in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” ⁹ I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little scroll.”

He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” ¹⁰ I took the little scroll out of the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. ¹¹ And they said to me, “It is necessary that you prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”