Parallel Bible results for "ezekiel 20"

Ezekiel 20

New Century Version NCV

1 It was the seventh year of our captivity, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month. Some of the older leaders of Israel came to ask about the Lord and sat down in front of me.

2 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

3 "Human, speak to the older leaders of Israel and say to them: 'This is what the Lord God says: Did you come to ask me questions? As surely as I live, I will not let you ask me questions.'

4 "Will you judge them? Will you judge them, human? Let them know the hateful things their ancestors did.

5 Say to them: 'This is what the Lord God says: When I chose Israel, I made a promise to the descendants of Jacob. I made myself known to them in Egypt, and I promised them, "I am the Lord your God."

6 At that time I promised them I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had found for them, a fertile land, the best land in the world.

7 I said to them, "Each one of you must throw away the hateful idols you have seen and liked. Don't make yourselves unclean with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."

8 "'But they turned against me and refused to listen to me. They did not throw away the hateful idols which they saw and liked; they did not give up the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my anger against them while they were still in Egypt.

9 But I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be dishonored in full view of the nations where the Israelites lived. I made myself known to the Israelites with a promise to bring them out of Egypt while the nations were watching.

10 So I took them out of Egypt and brought them into the desert.

11 I gave them my rules and told them about my laws, by which people will live if they obey them.

12 I also gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between us so they would know that I am the Lord who made them holy.

13 "'But in the desert Israel turned against me. They did not follow my rules, and they rejected my laws, by which people will live if they obey them. They dishonored my Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out my anger against them and destroy them in the desert.

14 But I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be dishonored in full view of the nations who watched as I had brought the Israelites out of Egypt.

15 And in the desert I swore to the Israelites that I would not bring them into the land I had given them. It is a fertile land, the best land in the world.

16 This was because they rejected my laws and did not follow my rules. They dishonored my Sabbaths and wanted to worship their idols.

17 But I had pity on them. I did not destroy them or put an end to them in the desert.

18 I said to their children in the desert, "Don't live by the rules of your parents, or obey their laws. Don't make yourselves unclean with their idols.

19 I am the Lord your God. Live by my rules, obey my laws, and follow them.

20 Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God."

21 "'But the children turned against me. They did not live by my rules, nor were they careful to obey my laws, by which people will live if they obey them. They dishonored my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my anger against them in the desert.

22 But I held back my anger. I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be dishonored in full view of the nations who watched as I brought the Israelites out.

23 And in the desert I swore to the Israelites that I would scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries,

24 because they had not obeyed my laws. They had rejected my rules and dishonored my Sabbaths and worshiped the idols of their parents.

25 I also allowed them to follow rules that were not good and laws by which they could not live.

26 I let the Israelites make themselves unclean by the gifts they brought to their gods when they sacrificed their first children in the fire. I wanted to terrify them so they would know that I am the Lord.'

27 "So, human, speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, 'This is what the Lord God says: Your ancestors spoke against me by being unfaithful to me in another way.

28 When I had brought them into the land I promised to give them, they saw every high hill and every leafy tree. There they offered their sacrifices to gods. They brought offerings that made me angry and burned their incense and poured out their drink offerings.

29 Then I said to them: What is this high place where you go to worship?'" (It is still called High Place today.)

30 "So say to the people of Israel: 'This is what the Lord God says: Are you going to make yourselves unclean as your ancestors did? Are you going to be unfaithful and desire their hateful idols?

31 When you offer your children as gifts and sacrifice them in the fire, you are making yourselves unclean with all your idols even today. So, people of Israel, should I let you ask me questions? As surely as I live, says the Lord God, I will not accept questions from you.

32 "'What you want will not come true. You say, "We want to be like the other nations, like the people in other lands. We want to worship idols made of wood and stone."

33 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, I will use my great power and strength and anger to rule over you.

34 I will bring you out from the foreign nations. With my great power and strength and anger I will gather you from the lands where you are scattered.

35 I will bring you among the nations as I brought your ancestors into the desert with Moses. There I will judge you face to face.

36 I will judge you the same way I judged your ancestors in the desert of the land of Egypt, says the Lord God.

37 I will count you like sheep and will bring you into line with my agreement.

38 I will get rid of those who refuse to obey me and who turn against me. I will bring them out of the land where they are now living, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

39 "'This is what the Lord God says: People of Israel, go serve your idols for now. But later you will listen to me; you will not continue to dishonor my holy name with your gifts and gods.

40 On my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all Israel will serve me in the land, says the Lord God. There I will accept you. There I will expect your offerings, the first harvest of your offerings, and all your holy gifts.

41 I will accept you like the pleasing smell of sacrifices when I bring you out from the foreign nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered. Then through you I will show how holy I am so the nations will see.

42 When I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I promised your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.

43 There you will remember everything you did that made you unclean, and then you will hate yourselves for all the evil things you have done.

44 I will deal with you for the sake of my name, not because of your evil ways or unclean actions. Then you will know I am the Lord, people of Israel, says the Lord God.'" Babylon, the Lord's Sword

45 Now the Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

46 "Human, look toward the south. Prophesy against the south and against the forest of the southern area.

47 Say to that forest: 'Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord God says: I am ready to start a fire in you that will destroy all your green trees and all your dry trees. The flames that burn will not be put out. Every face from south to north will feel their heat.

48 Then all the people will see that I, the Lord, have started the fire. It will not be put out.'"

49 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! The people are saying about me, 'He is only telling stories.'"

Good News Translation GNT

1 It was the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of our exile. Some of the leaders of the Israelite community came to consult me about the Lord's will, and they sat down in front of me.

2 Then the Lord spoke to me.

3 "Mortal man," he said, "speak to these leaders and tell them that the Sovereign Lord is saying: You have come to ask my will, have you? As surely as I am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.

4 "Are you ready to pass sentence on them, mortal man? Then do so. Remind them of the disgusting things their ancestors did.

5 Tell them what I am saying. When I chose Israel, I made them a promise. I revealed myself to them in Egypt and told them: I am the Lord your God.

6 It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all.

7 I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt, because I am the Lord their God.

8 But they defied me and refused to listen. They did not throw away their disgusting idols or give up the Egyptian gods. I was ready to let them feel the full force of my anger there in Egypt.

9 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name, for in the presence of the people among whom they were living I had announced to Israel that I was going to lead them out of Egypt.

10 "And so I led them out of Egypt into the desert.

11 I gave them my commands and taught them my laws, which bring life to anyone who obeys them.

12 I made the keeping of the Sabbath a sign of the agreement between us, to remind them that I, the Lord, make them holy.

13 But even in the desert they defied me. They broke my laws and rejected my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They completely profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to destroy them.

14 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

15 So I made a vow in the desert that I would not take them to the land I had given them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all.

16 I made the vow because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, and profaned the Sabbath - they preferred to worship their idols.

17 "But then I took pity on them. I decided not to kill them there in the desert.

18 Instead, I warned the young people among them: Do not keep the laws your ancestors made; do not follow their customs or defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am the Lord your God. Obey my laws and my commands.

20 Make the Sabbath a holy day, so that it will be a sign of the covenant we made, and will remind you that I am the Lord your God.

21 "But that generation also defied me. They broke my laws and did not keep my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to kill them all.

22 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt.

23 So I made another vow in the desert. I vowed that I would scatter them all over the world.

24 I did this because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, profaned the Sabbath, and worshiped the same idols their ancestors had served.

25 "Then I gave them laws that are not good and commands that do not bring life.

26 I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, and I let them sacrifice their first-born sons. This was to punish them and show them that I am the Lord.

27 "Now then, mortal man, tell the Israelites what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them. This is another way their ancestors insulted me by their unfaithfulness.

28 I brought them to the land I had promised to give them. When they saw the high hills and green trees, they offered sacrifices at all of them. They made me angry by the sacrifices they burned and by the wine they brought as offerings.

29 I asked them: What are these high places where you go? So they have been called "High Places' ever since.

30 Now tell the Israelites what I am saying: Why must you commit the same sins your ancestors did and go running after their idols?

31 Even today you offer the same gifts and defile yourselves with the same idols by sacrificing your children to them in the fire. And then you Israelites still come to ask what my will is! As surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything.

32 You have made up your minds that you want to be like the other nations, like the people who live in other countries and worship trees and rocks. But that will never be.

33 "As surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I warn you that in my anger I will rule over you with a strong hand, with all my power.

34 I will show you my power and my anger when I gather you together and bring you back from all the countries where you have been scattered.

35 I will bring you into the "Desert of the Nations,' and there I will condemn you to your face.

36 I will now condemn you just as I condemned your ancestors in the Sinai Desert," says the Sovereign Lord.

37 "I will take firm control of you and make you obey my covenant.

38 I will take away from among you those who are rebellious and sinful. I will take them out of the lands where they are living now, but I will not let them return to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

39 The Sovereign Lord says, "And now, all you Israelites, suit yourselves! Go on and serve your idols! But I warn you that after this you will have to obey me and stop dishonoring my holy name by offering gifts to your idols.

40 There in the land, on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all you people of Israel will worship me. I will be pleased with you and will expect you to bring me your sacrifices, your best offerings, and your holy gifts.

41 After I bring you out of the countries where you have been scattered and gather you together, I will accept the sacrifices that you burn, and the nations will see that I am holy.

42 When I bring you back to Israel, the land that I promised I would give to your ancestors, then you will know that I am the Lord.

43 Then you will remember all the disgraceful things you did and how you defiled yourselves. You will be disgusted with yourselves because of all the evil things you did.

44 When I act to protect my honor, you Israelites will know that I am the Lord, because I do not deal with you as your wicked, evil actions deserve." The Sovereign Lord has spoken.

45 The Lord spoke to me.

46 "Mortal man," he said, "look toward the south. Speak against the south and prophesy against the forest of the south.

47 Tell the southern forest to hear what the Sovereign Lord is saying: Look! I am starting a fire, and it will burn up every tree in you, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put it out. It will spread from south to north, and everyone will feel the heat of the flames.

48 They will all see that I, the Lord, set it on fire and that no one can put it out."

49 But I protested, "Sovereign Lord, don't make me do it! Everyone is already complaining that I always speak in riddles."