Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

BOOK II

(Psalms 42–72)

(A special psalm by the clan of Korah and for the music leader.)

Longing for God

The Stream Flowing from the Temple

47 ^(A) The man took me back to the temple, where I saw a stream flowing from under the entrance. It began in the south part of the temple, where it ran past the altar and continued east through the courtyard.

² We walked out of the temple area through the north gate and went around to the east gate. I saw the small stream of water flowing east from the south side of the gate.

³ The man walked east, then took out his measuring stick and measured 500 meters downstream. He told me to wade through the stream there, and the water came up to my ankles. ⁴ Then he measured another 500 meters downstream, and told me to wade through it there. The water came up to my knees. Another 500 meters downstream the water came up to my waist. ⁵ Another 500 meters downstream, the stream had become a river that could be crossed only by swimming. ⁶ The man said, “Ezekiel, son of man, pay attention to what you've seen.”

We walked to the riverbank, ⁷ where I saw dozens of trees on each side. ⁸ The man said:

This water flows eastward to the Jordan River valley and empties into the Dead Sea, where it turns the salt water into fresh water. ⁹ Wherever this water flows, there will be all kinds of animals and fish, because it will bring life and fresh water to the Dead Sea. ¹⁰ From En-Gedi to Eneglaim, people will fish in the sea and dry their nets along the coast. There will be as many kinds of fish in the Dead Sea as there are in the Mediterranean Sea. ¹¹ But the marshes along the shore will remain salty, so that people can use the salt from them.

^12 (B) Fruit trees will grow all along this river and produce fresh fruit every month. The leaves will never dry out, because they will always have water from the stream that flows from the temple, and they will be used for healing people.

More Warnings

¹⁷ My dear friends, remember the warning you were given by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^18 (A) They told you that near the end of time, selfish and godless people would start making fun of God. ¹⁹ And now these people are already making you turn against each other. They think only about this life, and they don't have God's Spirit.

²⁰ Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray. ²¹ And keep in step with God's love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is by giving you eternal life. ²² Be helpful to^[a] all who may have doubts. ²³ Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds.

Final Prayer

^24-25 Offer praise to God our Savior because of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in his glorious presence. Before time began and now and forever, God is worthy of glory, honor, power, and authority. Amen.