Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
1
On the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was living among the exiles by the Chebar River, the sky opened, and I saw visions from God.
2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoi'achin),
2
On the fifth day of the month, during the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiakin,
3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chalde'ans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
3
the LORD spoke his word to the priest Ezekiel, son of Buzi, in Babylon by the Chebar River. The power of the LORD came over Ezekiel.
4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness round about it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming bronze.
4
As I looked, I saw a storm coming from the north. There was an immense cloud with flashing lightning surrounded by a bright light. The middle of the lightning looked like glowing metal.
5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the form of men,
5
In the center of the cloud I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were shaped like humans,
6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.
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but each of them had four faces and four wings.
7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.
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Their legs were straight, their feet were like those of calves, and they glittered like polished bronze.
8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:
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They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. All four of them had faces and wings.
9 their wings touched one another; they went every one straight forward, without turning as they went.
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Their wings touched each other. The creatures went straight ahead, and they did not turn as they moved.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man in front; the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle at the back.
10
Their faces looked like this: From the front, each creature had the face of a human. From the right, each one had the face of a lion. From the left, each one had the face of a bull. And from the back, each one had the face of an eagle.
11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.
11
That is what their faces looked like. Their wings were spread out, pointing upward. Each creature had two wings with which they touched each other. The other two wings covered their bodies.
12 And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went.
12
Each of the creatures went straight ahead. They went wherever their spirit wanted to go, and they didn't turn as they moved.
13 In the midst of the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
13
The living creatures looked like burning coals and torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning came out of the fire.
14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.
14
The living creatures ran back and forth like lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.
15
As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of them.
16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of a chrysolite; and the four had the same likeness, their construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel.
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This is how the wheels looked and how they were made: They looked like beryl. All four wheels looked the same. They looked like a wheel within a wheel.
17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went.
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Whenever they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without turning as they moved.
18 The four wheels had rims and they had spokes; and their rims were full of eyes round about.
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The rims of the wheels were large and frightening. They were covered with eyes.
19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.
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When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. When the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.
20 Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
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Wherever their spirit wanted to go, the creatures went. The wheels rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
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So whenever the creatures moved, the wheels moved. Whenever the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still. And whenever the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.
22
Something like a dome was spread over the heads of the living creatures. It looked like dazzling crystal.
23 And under the firmament their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another; and each creature had two wings covering its body.
23
Under the dome, each creature had two wings that were stretched out straight, touching one another. Each creature had two wings that covered its body.
24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of a host; when they stood still, they let down their wings.
24
When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings. The sound was like the noise of rushing water, like the thunder of the Almighty, like the commotion in an army camp. When the creatures stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 And there came a voice from above the firmament over their heads; when they stood still, they let down their wings.
25
A voice came from above the dome over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered.
26 And above the firmament over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it were of a human form.
26
Above the dome over their heads was something that looked like a throne made of sapphire. On the throne was a figure that looked like a human.
27 And upward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were gleaming bronze, like the appearance of fire enclosed round about; and downward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him.
27
Then I saw what he looked like from the waist up. He looked like glowing bronze with fire all around it. From the waist down, he looked like fire. A bright light surrounded him.
28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
28
The brightness all around him looked like a rainbow in the clouds. It was like the LORD's glory. When I saw it, I immediately bowed down, and I heard someone speaking.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.