Ezekiel 33; Ezekiel 34; 1 Peter 5

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

2 "Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, 'Suppose I bring war on this country, and the people of this country choose one of their men and make him their watchman.

3 If he sees the enemy coming to attack the country, he will blow his horn to warn the people.

4 If the people hear the horn and ignore the warning and the enemy comes and takes them, they will be responsible for their own deaths.

5 They heard the sound of the horn but ignored its warning. So they are responsible for their own deaths. If they had taken the warning, they would have saved themselves.

6 "'But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't blow his horn to warn the people and the enemy comes and kills someone, that watchman must die because of his sin. I will hold him responsible for their deaths.'

7 "Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me.

8 Suppose I say to a wicked person, 'You wicked person, you will certainly die,' and you say nothing to warn him to change his ways. That wicked person will die because of his sin, and I will hold you responsible for his death.

9 But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his ways and he doesn't turn from them, then he will die because of his sin. However, you will save yourself.

10 "Son of man, say to the people of Israel, 'You have said this, "Our wickedness and our sins weigh us down, and we are rotting away because of them. How can we live?"'

11 "Tell them, 'As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, I don't want wicked people to die. Rather, I want them to turn from their ways and live. Change the way you think and act! Turn from your wicked ways! Do you want to die, people of Israel?'

12 "Son of man, say to your people, 'The right things that a righteous person has done will not save him when he rebels. The wicked things that a wicked person has done will not make him stumble when he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person will not live when he sins.'

13 I may promise the righteous person that he will certainly live. But if he trusts in the right things that he has done and he does evil, none of the right things that he has done will be remembered. He will die because of the evil things he has done.

14 I may warn the wicked person that he will certainly die. But suppose he turns from his sin and does what is fair and right.

15 He returns the security for a loan, pays back everything he stole, lives by the rules of life, and does nothing evil. Then he will certainly live. He will not die.

16 None of the sins that he has done will be remembered. He has done what is fair and right. He will certainly live.

17 "But your people say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Yet, their ways are unfair.

18 If the righteous person turns from the right things that he has done and does evil, he will die because of it.

19 If the wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is fair and right, he will live because of it.

20 Yet, the people of Israel say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' I will judge each of you by your own ways, people of Israel."

21 On the fifth day of the tenth month in the twelfth year of our captivity, a refugee from Jerusalem came to me. He said, "The city has been captured."

22 The evening before the refugee arrived, the power of the LORD came over me. On the morning the refugee arrived, the LORD made me speak. So I spoke, and I was no longer quiet.

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

24 "Son of man, those who live in the ruined cities in Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one person, and he was given the land. But we are many. Certainly the land has been given to us.'

25 So tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: You eat meat with blood in it. You look to your idols for help. You murder people. Should the land be given to you?

26 You rely on your swords. You do disgusting things. You dishonor your neighbor's wife. Should the land be given to you?'

27 "Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: As I live, whoever is in the ruined cities will be killed in battle. Whoever is in the open field will become food for wild animals. Whoever is in fortified places and caves will die from plagues.

28 I will turn the land into a barren wasteland. People will no longer brag about its power. The mountains of Israel will become so ruined that no one will travel through them.

29 Then people will know that I am the LORD, when I make the land a barren wasteland because of all the disgusting things that they have done.'

30 "Son of man, your people are talking about you by the walls and in the doorways of their homes. They are saying to each other, 'Let's go and hear the word that has come from the LORD.'

31 Then they come to you, as if they are still my people, and they sit down in front of you. They listen to what you say, but they don't do it. They say that they love me, but in their hearts they chase dishonest profits.

32 To them you are nothing more than a singer with a beautiful voice who sings love songs or a musician who plays an instrument. They listen to your words, but they don't do them.

33 When all your words come true--and they certainly will come true--these people will know that a prophet has been among them."

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

2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn't shepherds take care of the sheep?

3 You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you don't take care of the sheep.

4 You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those that were sick, or bandaged those that were injured. You have not brought back those that strayed away or looked for those that were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently.

5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. When they were scattered, they became food for every wild animal.

6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the whole earth. No one searched or looked for them.

7 "'So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the LORD.

8 As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, because there is no shepherd, my sheep have become prey. My sheep have become food for every wild animal. My shepherds haven't searched for my sheep. They have taken care of only themselves, not my sheep.

9 So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the LORD.

10 This is what the Almighty LORD says: I am against the shepherds. I will demand that they hand over my sheep. I won't let them take care of my sheep anymore, and they will no longer take care of only themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, and my sheep will no longer be their food.

11 "'This is what the Almighty LORD says: I will search for my sheep myself, and I will look after them.

12 As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is with his scattered sheep, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them on a cloudy and gloomy day from every place where they have been scattered.

13 I will bring them out from the nations, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own land. I will take care of them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.

14 I will feed them in good pasture, and they will graze on the mountains of Israel. They will rest on the good land where they graze, and they will feed on the best pastures in the mountains of Israel.

15 I will take care of my sheep and lead them to rest, declares the Almighty LORD.

16 I will look for those that are lost, bring back those that have strayed away, bandage those that are injured, and strengthen those that are sick. I will destroy those that are fat and strong. I will take care of my sheep fairly.

17 "'As for you, my sheep, this is what the Almighty LORD says: I will judge disputes between one sheep and another, between rams and male goats.

18 Isn't it enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? You drink clean water. Must you muddy the rest of the water with your feet?

19 Must my sheep eat what your feet have trampled and drink what your feet have muddied?

20 "'So this is what the Almighty LORD says to them: I will judge disputes between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.

21 You fat sheep push the skinny sheep with your sides and shoulders, and you knock down all the sick sheep with your horns. You have scattered them all over.

22 So I will rescue my sheep, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.

23 Then I will place one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.

24 I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be their prince. I, the LORD, have spoken.

25 "'I will promise them peace. I will remove the wild animals from the land so that my sheep can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.

26 I will bless them and the places around my hill. I will send rain at the right time. These showers will be a blessing to them.

27 Then the trees in the field will produce fruit, the land will yield crops, and my sheep will live safely in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, because I will break off the bars on their yokes and rescue them from the people who made them slaves.

28 They will no longer be prey to the nations, and the wild animals will no longer eat them. They will live safely, and no one will frighten them.

29 I will give them a place that is known for its good crops. They will no longer experience hunger in the land, and they will no longer suffer the insults of other nations.

30 Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the people of Israel, are my people, declares the Almighty LORD.

31 You, my sheep, are the sheep in my pasture. You are mortal, and I am your God, declares the Almighty LORD.'"

1 I appeal to your spiritual leaders. I make this appeal as a spiritual leader who also witnessed Christ's sufferings and will share in the glory that will be revealed.

2 Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don't do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don't do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve.

3 Don't be rulers over the people entrusted to you, but be examples for the flock to follow.

4 Then, when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

5 Young people, in a similar way, place yourselves under the authority of spiritual leaders. Furthermore, all of you must serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble.

6 Be humbled by God's power so that when the right time comes he will honor you.

7 Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you.

8 Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.

9 Be firm in the faith and resist him, knowing that other believers throughout the world are going through the same kind of suffering.

10 God, who shows you his kindness and who has called you through Christ Jesus to his eternal glory, will restore you, strengthen you, make you strong, and support you as you suffer for a little while.

11 Power belongs to him forever. Amen.

12 I've written this short letter to you and I'm sending it by Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother. I've written to encourage you and to testify that this is God's genuine good will. Remain firmly established in it!

13 Your sister church in Babylon, chosen by God, and my son Mark send you greetings.

14 Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.