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Third Vision: The Man with a Measuring Line

2^*I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. ²Then I asked, ‘Where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.’ ³Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, ⁴and said to him, ‘Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it. ⁵For I will be a wall of fire all round it, says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it.’

Interlude: An Appeal to the Exiles

6 Up, up! Flee from the land of the north, says the Lord; for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven, says the Lord. ⁷Up! Escape to Zion, you that live with daughter Babylon. ⁸For thus said the Lord of hosts (after his glory^* sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye.^{* 9}See now, I am going to raise^* my hand against them, and they shall become plunder for their own slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. ¹⁰Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. ¹¹Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. ¹²The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.

13 Be silent, all people, before the Lord; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

Psalm 45

Ode for a Royal Wedding

To the leader: according to Lilies. Of the Korahites. A Maskil. A love song.
¹ My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
   I address my verses to the king;
   my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

² You are the most handsome of men;
   grace is poured upon your lips;
   therefore God has blessed you for ever.
³ Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
   in your glory and majesty.

⁴ In your majesty ride on victoriously
   for the cause of truth and to defend^* the right;
   let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
⁵ Your arrows are sharp
   in the heart of the king’s enemies;
   the peoples fall under you.

⁶ Your throne, O God,^* endures for ever and ever.
   Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
⁷   you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
⁸   your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
⁹   daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour;
   at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰ Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
   forget your people and your father’s house,
¹¹   and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him;
¹²   the people^* of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,
   the richest of the people ¹³with all kinds of wealth.

The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;^*
14   in many-coloured robes she is led to the king;
   behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
¹⁵ With joy and gladness they are led along
   as they enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶ In the place of ancestors you, O king,^* shall have sons;
   you will make them princes in all the earth.
¹⁷ I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
   therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.

The Message to Laodicea

14 ‘And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin^* of God’s creation:

15 ‘I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.” You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. ²⁰Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. ²¹To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²²Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.’

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

32 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³So also, when you see all these things, you know that he^* is near, at the very gates. ³⁴Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

The Necessity for Watchfulness

36 ‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son,^* but only the Father. ³⁷For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. ⁴²Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day^* your Lord is coming. ⁴³But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.