Ezekiel 18; Ezekiel 19; Ezekiel 20

Viewing Multiple Passages

Ezekiel 18

1 The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

2 "What do you mean when you use this proverb about the land of Israel: 'Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and their children's teeth are set on edge'?

3 As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, you will no longer use this proverb in Israel.

4 The life of every person belongs to me. Fathers and their children belong to me. The person who sins will die.

5 "Suppose a righteous person does what is fair and right.

6 He doesn't eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He doesn't dishonor his neighbor's wife or have sexual intercourse with a woman while she is having her period.

7 He doesn't oppress anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security for a loan. He doesn't rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked.

8 He doesn't lend money for interest or make an excessive profit. He refuses to do evil things, and he judges everyone fairly.

9 He lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully. This person is righteous. He will certainly live," declares the Almighty LORD.

10 "But suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all the things

11 that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife.

12 He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He doesn't return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things.

13 He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death.

14 "But suppose this person has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he doesn't do such things.

15 He doesn't eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He doesn't dishonor his neighbor's wife.

16 He doesn't oppress anyone. He doesn't keep the security for a loan. He doesn't rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked.

17 He refuses to hurt the poor. He doesn't charge interest or make excessive profits. He obeys my rules and lives by my laws. He won't die for his father's sins. He will certainly live.

18 But his father has oppressed others, robbed his relative, and done what is wrong among his people. So the father will die because of his sin.

19 "But you ask, 'Why isn't the son punished for his father's sin?' It is because the son has done what is fair and right. He obeyed my rules and followed them. He will certainly live.

20 The person who sins will die. A son will not be punished for his father's sins, and a father will not be punished for his son's sins. The righteousness of the righteous person will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be his own.

21 "But suppose a wicked person turns away from all the sins that he has done. He obeys all my laws and does what is fair and right. He will certainly live. He will not die.

22 All the rebellious things that he did will not be remembered. He will live because of the right things that he did.

23 I don't want wicked people to die." declares the Almighty LORD. "I want them to turn from their evil ways and live.

24 "But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them.

25 "But you say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Listen, nation of Israel, isn't my way fair? Isn't it your ways that are unfair?

26 When a righteous person turns away from doing right and does evil things, he will die. He will die because of the evil things he has done.

27 When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live.

28 He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die.

29 "But the nation of Israel says, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Isn't my way fair, nation of Israel? Isn't it your ways that are unfair?

30 "That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel," declares the Almighty LORD. "Change the way you think and act. Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.

31 Stop all the rebellious things that you are doing. Get yourselves new hearts and new spirits. Why do you want to die, nation of Israel?

32 I don't want anyone to die," declares the Almighty LORD. "Change the way you think and act!"

Ezekiel 19

1 Sing a funeral song for the princes of Israel.

2 Say: Your mother was like a lioness. She lay down among the lions. She fed many cubs.

3 One of the cubs she raised became a young lion. He learned to tear apart the animals he hunted. He ate people.

4 The nations heard about him, caught him in their pit, and brought him with hooks to Egypt.

5 The lioness waited until she saw that there was no more hope. Then she took another one of her cubs and raised him into a young lion.

6 He became a young lion, and he prowled among the lions. He learned to tear apart the animals he hunted. He ate people.

7 He destroyed fortresses and turned cities into wastelands. The land and everyone living in it were terrified by the sound of his roar.

8 The nations from every region came together against him. They spread their net over him and caught him in their pit.

9 With hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison so that his roar wouldn't be heard anymore on the mountains of Israel.

10 Your mother was like a grapevine that was planted near water. It had a lot of fruit and many branches because there was plenty of water.

11 Its branches were strong. They were used to make scepters for kings. It grew to be tall with many branches around it, and everyone saw it because of its many branches.

12 But in anger it was uprooted and thrown to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches broke off. They withered and were burned.

13 Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and waterless land.

14 Fire has spread from the vine's main branch. Fire has destroyed its fruit. It no longer has any strong branches that could be used as a king's scepter. This is a funeral song. It is to be used as a funeral song.

Ezekiel 20

1 On the tenth day of the fifth month in the seventh year, some of the leaders of Israel came to ask for the LORD's help. They sat in front of me.

2 Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

3 "Son of man, speak to the leaders of Israel. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Are you coming to ask me for help? As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, you will not be allowed to ask me for help.'

4 "Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Tell them about the disgusting things their ancestors did.

5 Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: When I chose Israel, I raised my hand and swore an oath to the descendants of Jacob's family. I made myself known to them in Egypt. I made a promise to them and said, "I am the LORD your God."

6 At that time I promised to bring them out of Egypt to a land that I had chosen for them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

7 I said to them, "Get rid of the detestable idols that you look to for help. Don't dishonor yourselves with the disgusting idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

8 "'But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me. Not one of them got rid of the detestable idols that they looked to for help. They didn't abandon the disgusting idols of Egypt. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in Egypt.

9 But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations where they were living. While other nations were watching, I made myself known to them by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.

10 "'So I brought the Israelites out of Egypt and led them into the desert.

11 I gave them my laws and made my rules known to them. If people obey them they will live.

12 I also gave them certain days to worship me as a sign between us so that they would know that I, the LORD, made them holy.

13 "'But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn't live by my laws, and they rejected my rules. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them in the desert and completely wipe them out.

14 But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out [of Egypt].

15 I also swore an oath to them in the desert. I swore that I would not bring them into the land that I had promised to give them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

16 They rejected my rules, and they didn't live by my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, because their hearts chased disgusting idols.

17 But I had compassion on them. I didn't destroy them or completely wipe them out in the desert.

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

19 I am the LORD your God. Live by my laws. Obey my rules and follow them.

20 Set apart certain holy days to worship me. This will be a sign between me and you so that you will know that I am the LORD your God."

21 "'But they rebelled against me. They didn't live by my laws, and they didn't obey my rules and follow them. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in the desert.

22 But I didn't use my power so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out [of Egypt].

23 I raised my hand and swore an oath to them in the desert. I promised to scatter them among the nations and force them into other countries.

24 They didn't follow my rules, and they rejected my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, and they looked to their ancestors' disgusting idols for help.

25 I also allowed them to follow laws that were no good and rules by which they could not live.

26 I let them dishonor themselves when they sacrificed all their firstborn sons as gifts [to their false gods]. I terrified them so that they would know that I am the LORD.'

27 "Speak to the nation of Israel, son of man. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Your ancestors insulted me again because they were unfaithful to me.

28 I brought them to the land that I promised to give them. When they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, they made sacrifices and brought offerings there to make me angry. There they offered their sacrifices and poured out their wine offerings.

29 Then I asked them, "What is this worship site you're going to?"' (So it is still called 'worship site' today.)

30 "Tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute?

31 You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel? "'As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, you won't be allowed to ask me for help.

32 What you have in mind will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone.

33 "'As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, I will rule you with a mighty hand and a powerful arm, and I will pour out my fury.

34 I will bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where I have scattered you with my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour out my fury.

35 I will bring you into the desert of the nations. There I will put you on trial face to face.

36 I will put you on trial as I put your ancestors on trial in the desert of Egypt, declares the Almighty LORD.

37 Then I will make you suffer punishment and make you keep the terms of the promise.

38 I will get rid of rebels and those who do wrong against me. I will bring you out of the land where you are living. You will never enter Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

39 "'Nation of Israel, this is what the Almighty LORD says: Serve your disgusting idols. But afterwards, you will listen to me. You will no longer dishonor my holy name with your gifts and your disgusting idols.

40 "'The entire nation of Israel, everyone in the land, will worship me on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Almighty LORD. There I will accept you. There I will look for your offerings, your best gifts, and all your holy gifts.

41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, I will accept you as if you were a pleasing sacrifice. Through you I will reveal myself as holy to the nations that are watching.

42 Then you will know that I am the LORD, because I will bring you to the land of Israel, the land that I promised to give your ancestors.

43 There you will remember the way you lived and everything you did to dishonor yourselves. You will be disgusted by every wrong thing that you did.

44 Then you will know that I am the LORD, because I will deal with you for the sake of my name. I will not deal with you based on the evil and corrupt things that you have done, nation of Israel, declares the Almighty LORD.'"

45 The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

46 "Son of man, turn to the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest in the Negev.

47 Tell the forest in the Negev, 'Listen to the word of the LORD. This is what the Almighty LORD says: I am about to set fire to you to destroy all your green trees and all your dry trees. The blazing fire will not be put out. It will burn the whole land from the south to the north.

48 Then everyone will know that I, the LORD, started the fire. It will never be put out.'"

49 Then I said, "Oh no! Almighty LORD, no! The people already say that I'm only telling stories."

Ezekiel 18; Ezekiel 19; Ezekiel 20

Viewing Multiple Passages

Share

Settings

Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 19

Ezekiel 20