New Century Version NCV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Again the Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
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The Lord spoke to me.
2 "Human, you are living among a people who refuse to obey. They have eyes to see, but they do not see, and they have ears to hear, but they do not hear, because they are a people who refuse to obey.
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"Mortal man," he said, "you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes, but they see nothing; they have ears, but they hear nothing, because they are rebellious.
3 "So, human, pack your things as if you will be taken away captive, and walk away like a captive in the daytime with the people watching. Move from your place to another with the people watching. Maybe they will understand, even though they are a people who refuse to obey.
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"Now, mortal man, pack a bundle just as a refugee would and start out before nightfall. Let everyone see you leaving and going to another place. Maybe those rebels will notice you.
4 During the day when the people are watching, bring out the things you would pack as captive. At evening, with the people watching, leave your place like those who are taken away as captives from their country.
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While it is still daylight, pack your bundle for exile, so that they can see you, and then let them watch you leave in the evening as if you were going into exile.
5 Dig a hole through the wall while they watch, and bring your things out through it.
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While they are watching, break a hole through the wall of your house and take your pack out through it.
6 Lift them onto your shoulders with the people watching, and carry them out in the dark. Cover your face so you cannot see the ground, because I have made you a sign to the people of Israel."
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Let them watch you putting your pack on your shoulder and going out into the dark with your eyes covered, so that you can't see where you are going. What you do will be a warning to the Israelites."
7 I did these things as I was commanded. In the daytime I brought what I had packed as if I were being taken away captive. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I brought my things out in the dark and carried them on my shoulders as the people watched.
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I did what the Lord told me to do. That day I packed a bundle as a refugee would, and that evening as it was getting dark I dug a hole in the wall with my hands and went out. While everyone watched, I put the pack on my shoulder and left.
8 Then in the morning the Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
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The next morning the Lord spoke to me.
9 "Human, didn't Israel, who refuses to obey, ask you, 'What are you doing?'
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"Mortal man," he said, "now that those Israelite rebels are asking you what you're doing,
10 "Say to them, 'This is what the Lord God says: This message is about the king in Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who live there.'
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tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them. This message is for the prince ruling in Jerusalem and for all the people who live there.
11 Say, 'I am a sign to you.' "The same things I have done will be done to the people in Jerusalem. They will be taken away from their country as captives.
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Tell them that what you have done is a sign of what will happen to them - they will be refugees and captives.
12 The king among them will put his things on his shoulder in the dark and will leave. The people will dig a hole through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the ground.
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The prince who is ruling them will shoulder his pack in the dark and escape through a hole that they dig for him in the wall. He will cover his eyes and not see where he is going.
13 But I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my trap. Then I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Babylonians. He will not see that land, but he will die there.
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But I will spread out my net and trap him in it. Then I will take him to the city of Babylon, where he will die without having seen it.
14 All who are around the king -- his helpers and all his army -- I will scatter in every direction, and I will chase them with a sword.
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I will scatter in every direction all the members of his court and his advisers and bodyguards, and people will search for them to kill them.
15 "They will know that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries.
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"When I scatter them among the other nations and in foreign countries, they will know that I am the Lord.
16 But I will save a few of them from the sword and from hunger and disease. Then they can tell about their hateful actions among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord."
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I will let a few of them survive the war, the famine, and the diseases, so that there among the nations they will realize how disgusting their actions have been and will acknowledge that I am the Lord."
17 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
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The Lord spoke to me.
18 "Human, tremble as you eat your food, and shake with fear as you drink your water.
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"Mortal man," he said, "tremble when you eat, and shake with fear when you drink.
19 Then say to the people of the land: 'This is what the Lord God says about the people who live in Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their food with fear and drink their water in shock, because their land will be stripped bare because of the violence of the people who live in it.
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Tell the whole nation that this is the message of the Sovereign Lord to the people of Jerusalem who are still living in their land: They will tremble when they eat and shake with fear when they drink. Their land will be stripped bare, because everyone who lives there is lawless.
20 The cities where people live will become ruins, and the land will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"
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Cities that are now full of people will be destroyed, and the country will be made a wilderness. Then they will know that I am the Lord."
21 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
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The Lord spoke to me.
22 "Human, what is this saying you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by and every vision comes to nothing'?
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"Mortal man," he said, "why do the people of Israel repeat this proverb: "Time goes by, and predictions come to nothing'?
23 So say to them, 'This is what the Lord God says: I will make them stop saying this, and nobody in Israel will use this saying anymore.' But tell them, 'The time is near when every vision will come true.
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Now tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, have to say about that. I will put an end to that proverb. It won't be repeated in Israel any more. Tell them instead: The time has come, and the predictions are coming true!
24 There will be no more false visions or pleasing prophecies inside the nation of Israel,
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"Among the people of Israel there will be no more false visions or misleading prophecies.
25 but I, the Lord, will speak. What I say will be done, and it will not be delayed. You refuse to obey, but in your time I will say the word and do it, says the Lord God.'"
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I, the Lord, will speak to them, and what I say will be done. There will be no more delay. In your own lifetime, you rebels, I will do what I have warned you I would do. I have spoken," says the Sovereign Lord.
26 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
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The Lord said to me,
27 "Human, the people of Israel are saying, 'The vision that Ezekiel sees is for a time many years from now. He is prophesying about times far away.'
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"Mortal man, the Israelites think that your visions and prophecies are about the distant future.
28 "So say to them: 'The Lord God says this: None of my words will be delayed anymore. What I have said will be done, says the Lord God.'"
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So tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying: There will be no more delay. What I have said will be done. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!"
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.