Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 121
The Lord Our Protector
A song of ascents.
1 I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?(A)
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(B)
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.(C)
4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.(D)
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, while I was among the exiles by the Chebar Canal,(A) the heavens were opened(B) and I saw visions of God.(C)
2 On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile(D)— 3 the word of the Lord came(E) directly to the priest Ezekiel(F) son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans(G) by the Chebar Canal. The Lord’s hand was on him there.(H)
Vision of the Lord’s Glory
4 I looked, and there was a whirlwind(I) coming from the north, a huge cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire, there was a gleam like amber.(J) 5 The likeness of four living creatures came from it,(K) and this was their appearance: They looked something like a human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, sparkling like the gleam of polished bronze.(L) 8 They had human hands under their wings on their four sides.(M) All four of them had faces and wings.(N) 9 Their wings were touching. The creatures did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead.(O) 10 Their faces looked something like the face of a human,(P) and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left, and the face of an eagle.(Q) 11 That is what their faces were like. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching that of another and two wings covering its body.(R) 12 Each creature went straight ahead.(S) Wherever the Spirit[a] wanted to go, they went without turning as they moved.(T)
13 The likeness of the living creatures was like the appearance of blazing coals of fire or like torches.(U) Fire was moving back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, with lightning coming out of it. 14 The creatures were darting back and forth(V) like flashes of lightning.(W)
15 When I looked at the living creatures, there was one wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. 16 The appearance of the wheels(X) and their craftsmanship was like the gleam of beryl,(Y) and all four had the same likeness. Their appearance and craftsmanship was like a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. 18 Their four rims were tall and awe-inspiring, completely covered with eyes.(Z) 19 When the living creatures moved,(AA) the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the Spirit wanted to go, the creatures went in the direction the Spirit was moving. The wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; and when the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures(AB) the likeness of an expanse(AC) was spread out. It gleamed like awe-inspiring crystal,(AD) 23 and under the expanse their wings extended one toward another. They each also had two wings covering their bodies. 24 When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of a huge torrent,(AE) like the voice of the Almighty,(AF) and a sound of tumult like the noise of an army.(AG) When they stopped, they lowered their wings.
25 A voice came from above the expanse over their heads; when they stopped, they lowered their wings.
19 And after taking some food, he regained his strength.(A)
Saul Proclaiming the Messiah
Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time. 20 Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”(B)
21 All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?” (C)
22 But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plot. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him,(D) 25 but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.(E)
Saul in Jerusalem
26 When he arrived in Jerusalem,(F) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. 27 Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly(G) in the name of Jesus.(H) 28 Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him.(I) 30 When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.(J)
The Church’s Growth
31 So the church(K) throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.