Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 10

God's Glory Leaves the Temple

¹ Then I looked, and there above the expanse over the heads^(a) of the cherubim was something like sapphire^[a] stone resembling the shape of a throne that appeared above them. ² The Lord spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, "Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with hot coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city."^(b) So he went in as I watched.

³ Now the cherubim were standing to the south of the temple when the man went in, and the cloud^(c) filled the inner court.^{(d) 4} Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherub to the threshold of the temple.^(e) The temple was filled with the cloud,^(f) and the court was filled with the brightness of the Lord 's glory.^{(g) 5} The sound of the cherubim's wings could be heard as far as the outer court; it was like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.

⁶ After the Lord commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, "Take fire from inside the wheelwork, from among the cherubim," the man went in and stood beside a wheel. ⁷ Then the cherub reached out his hand to the fire that was among them. He took some, and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. ⁸ The cherubim appeared to have the form of human hands under their wings.^(h)

⁹ I looked, and there were four wheels beside the cherubim,⁽ⁱ⁾ one wheel beside each cherub. The luster of the wheels was like the gleam of beryl.^{(j) 10} In appearance, all four had the same form, like a wheel within a wheel. ¹¹ When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions,^(k) without pivoting as they moved. But wherever the head faced, they would go in that direction,^[b] without pivoting as they went. ¹² Their entire bodies,^(l) including their backs, hands, wings, and the wheels that the four of them had, were full of eyes all around.^{(m) 13} As I listened the wheels were called "the wheelwork." ¹⁴ Each one had four faces:⁽ⁿ⁾ the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

¹⁵ The cherubim ascended; these were the living creatures I had seen by the Chebar Canal.^{(o) 16} When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when they lifted their wings to rise from the earth, even then the wheels did not veer away from them. ¹⁷ When the cherubim stood still,^(p) the wheels stood still, and when they ascended, the wheels ascended with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in them.

¹⁸ Then the glory of the Lord moved away from the threshold of the temple^(q) and stood above the cherubim.^{(r) 19} The cherubim lifted their wings and ascended from the earth right before my eyes;^(s) the wheels were beside them as they went. The glory of the God of Israel was above them, and it stood at the entrance to the eastern gate of the Lord 's house.

²⁰ These were the living creatures I had seen^(t) beneath the God of Israel by the Chebar Canal,^(u) and I recognized that they were cherubim. ²¹ Each had four faces and each had four wings,^(v) with the form of human hands under their wings. ²² Their faces looked like the same faces I had seen^(w) by the Chebar Canal. Each creature went straight ahead.

Chapter 4

Unity and Diversity in the Body of Christ

¹ Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord,^(a) urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, ² with all humility^(b) and gentleness, with patience,^(c) accepting^[a](d) one another in love,^{(e) 3} diligently keeping the unity^(f) of the Spirit^(g) with the peace^(h) that binds us. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit⁽ⁱ⁾—just as you were called to one hope^[b](j) at your calling— ⁵ one Lord,^(k) one faith,^(l) one baptism, ⁶ one God^(m) and Father⁽ⁿ⁾ of all, who is above all and through all and in all.^(o)

⁷ Now grace was given to each one of us^(p) according to the measure of the Messiah's gift. ⁸ For it says:

⁹ But what does "He ascended" mean except that He^[e] descended to the lower parts of the earth?^{[f](s) 10} The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens,^(t) that He might fill^[g] all things.^{(u) 11} And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,^{(v) 13} until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son,^(w) growing into a mature man with a stature^(x) measured by Christ's fullness. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching,^(y) by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head^(z)—Christ. ¹⁶ From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together^(aa) by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth^(ab) of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.