Ezekiel 11

1 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. And there at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people.

Then the Spirit picked me up and took me to the eastern entrance of the Lord's Temple. Twenty-five men were gathered there at the entrance. I recognized among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.

2 And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked counsel in this city.

The Lord told me, “Son of man, it's these men who are making evil plans and giving bad advice to the people in this city.

3 They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’

They're saying, ‘Is this the time for us to be building houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat inside it.’

4 Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O son of man!”

So prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”

5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me and told me to declare that this is what the LORD says: “That is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your minds.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon me and told me to say: This is what the Lord says: “People of Israel, that's what you're saying! I know what you're thinking inside!

6 You have multiplied those you killed in this city and filled its streets with the dead.

You murder more and more people in this city. You've filled its streets with the dead!

7 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: The slain you have laid within this city are the meat, and the city is the pot; but I will remove you from it.

So this is what the Lord God says: Those you've killed in this city are the meat, and the city is the pot; but I'm going to take you out of it.

8 You fear the sword, so I will bring the sword against you, declares the Lord GOD.

You're afraid of being killed by the sword, so I will bring invaders with swords to attack you, declares the Lord God.

9 I will bring you out of the city and deliver you into the hands of foreigners, and I will execute judgments against you.

I'm going to take you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners, and I'm going to carry out my sentence against you.

10 You will fall by the sword, and I will judge you even to the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

You will be killed by the sword, and I will punish you right up to the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

11 The city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat within it. I will judge you even to the borders of Israel.

The city won't be like a pot for you, and you won't be the meat inside it either. I will punish you right up to the borders of Israel.

12 Then you will know that I am the LORD. For you have neither followed My statutes nor practiced My ordinances, but you have conformed to the ordinances of the nations around you.”

Then you will know that I am the Lord. For you didn't follow my rules and you didn't keep my laws. Instead you kept the laws of the nations around you.”

13 Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Oh, Lord GOD, will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”

While I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. I fell facedown on the ground and shouted loudly, “Lord God, are you going to completely destroy what's left of the people of Israel?”

14 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

A message from Lord came to me, saying,

15 “Son of man, your brothers—your relatives, your fellow exiles, and the whole house of Israel—are those of whom the people of Jerusalem have said, ‘They are far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.’

“Son of man, your brothers, including your relatives, your fellow exiles, and all the other Israelites, are those the people of Jerusalem were referring to when they said, ‘They are far away from the Lord. This country was given to us and we are to own it.’

16 Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’

So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Even though I sent them far away to live among the foreign nations, scattering them among the different countries, I have been taking care of them for a while in the countries where they went.

17 Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries to which you have been scattered, and I will give back to you the land of Israel.’

Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: I'm going to gather you from the other nations and bring you back from the countries where you've been scattered, and I will return the country of Israel to you.

18 When they return to it, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations.

When they come back, they are going to get rid of all its offensive idols and disgusting practices from the country.

19 And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,

I will give them single-minded commitment and a whole new spirit. I will take away their hard-hearted attitude and replace it with one that is loving.

20 so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

This way they can follow my rules, keep my regulations, and do what I say. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But as for those whose hearts pursue detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.”

But for those who still choose to worship offensive idols and engage in disgusting practices, I will let them experience the consequences of their own actions, declares the Lord God.”

22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

Then the cherubim opened their wings and took off, with the wheels alongside them, and with the glory of the God of Israel above them.

23 And the glory of the LORD rose up from within the city and stood over the mountain east of the city.

The glory of the Lord rose from inside the city and went over to the mountain to the east of the city.

24 And the Spirit lifted me up and carried me back to Chaldea, to the exiles in the vision given by the Spirit of God. After the vision had gone up from me,

In the vision given to me by the Spirit of God, the Spirit picked me up and carried me back to Babylonia to where the exiles were. After the vision left me,

25 I told the exiles everything the LORD had shown me.

I explained to the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.