Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles^(A) by the Kebar River,^(B) the heavens were opened^(C) and I saw visions^(D) of God.

² On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin^(E)— ³ the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel^(F) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.^[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.^(G)

⁴ I looked, and I saw a windstorm^(H) coming out of the north^(I)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,^{(J) 5} and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.^(K) In appearance their form was human,^{(L) 6} but each of them had four faces^(M) and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.^{(N) 8} Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.^(O) All four of them had faces and wings, ⁹ and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.^(P)

¹⁰ Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.^{(Q) 11} Such were their faces. They each had two wings^(R) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. ¹² Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.^{(S) 13} The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals^(T) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning^(U) flashed out of it. ¹⁴ The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.^(V)

¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures,^(W) I saw a wheel^(X) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. ¹⁶ This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,^(Y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. ¹⁷ As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction^(Z) as the creatures went. ¹⁸ Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes^(AA) all around.

¹⁹ When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. ²⁰ Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,^(AB) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹ When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.^(AC)

²² Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,^(AD) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. ²³ Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. ²⁴ When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing^(AE) waters, like the voice^(AF) of the Almighty,^[b] like the tumult of an army.^(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

²⁵ Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings.

¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples^(A) in Damascus.^{(B) 20} At once he began to preach in the synagogues^(C) that Jesus is the Son of God.^{(D) 21} All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?^(E) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^{(F) 22} Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(G)

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,^{(H) 24} but Saul learned of their plan.^(I) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.^(J)

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem,^(K) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas^(L) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,^(M) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.^{(N) 28} So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a](O) but they tried to kill him.^{(P) 30} When the believers^(Q) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea^(R) and sent him off to Tarsus.^(S)

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria^(T) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.^(U)