Ezekiel 11; Ezekiel 12; Ezekiel 13; James 1

1 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the front gate of the Temple of the Lord, which faces east. I saw twenty-five men where the gate opens, among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people.

2 Then the Lord said to me, "Human, these are the men who plan evil and give wicked advice in this city of Jerusalem.

3 They say, 'It is almost time for us to build houses. This city is like a cooking pot, and we are like the best meat.'

4 So prophesy against them, prophesy, human."

5 Then the Spirit of the Lord entered me and told me to say: "This is what the Lord says: You have said these things, people of Israel, and I know what you are thinking.

6 You have killed many people in this city, filling its streets with their bodies.

7 "So this is what the Lord God says: Those people you have killed and left in the middle of the city are like the best meat, and this city is like the cooking pot. But I will force you out of the city.

8 You have feared the sword, but I will bring a sword against you, says the Lord God.

9 I will force you out of the city and hand you over to strangers and punish you.

10 You will die by the sword. I will punish you at the border of Israel so you will know that I am the Lord.

11 This city will not be your cooking pot, and you will not be the best meat in the middle of it. I will punish you at the border of Israel.

12 Then you will know that I am the Lord. You did not live by my rules or obey my laws. Instead, you did the same things as the nations around you."

13 As I prophesied, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I bowed facedown on the ground and shouted with a loud voice, "Oh no, Lord God! Will you completely destroy the Israelites who are left alive?"

14 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying,

15 "Human, the people still in Jerusalem have spoken about your own relatives and all the people of Israel who are captives with you, saying, 'They are far from the Lord. This land has been given to us as our property.'

16 "So say, 'This is what the Lord God says: I sent the people far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries. But for a little while I have become a Temple to them in the countries where they have gone.'

17 "So say: 'This is what the Lord God says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you together from the countries where you have been scattered. Then I will give you back the land of Israel.'

18 "When they come to this land, they will remove all the evil idols and all the hateful images.

19 I will give them a desire to respect me completely, and I will put inside them a new way of thinking. I will take out the stubborn heart of stone from their bodies, and I will give them an obedient heart of flesh.

20 Then they will live by my rules and obey my laws and keep them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But those who want to serve their evil statues and hateful idols, I will pay back for their evil ways, says the Lord God."

22 Then the living creatures lifted their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

23 The glory of the Lord went up from inside Jerusalem and stopped on the mountain on the east side of the city.

24 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the captives who had been taken from Judah to Babylonia. This happened in a vision given by the Spirit of God, and then the vision I had seen ended.

25 And I told the captives from Judah all the things the Lord had shown me.

1 Again the Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

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.

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.

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.

5 Dig a hole through the wall while they watch, and bring your things 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."

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.

8 Then in the morning the Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

9 "Human, didn't Israel, who refuses to obey, ask you, 'What are you 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.'

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.

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.

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.

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.

15 "They will know that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries.

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."

17 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

18 "Human, tremble as you eat your food, and shake with fear as you drink your water.

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.

20 The cities where people live will become ruins, and the land will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"

21 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

22 "Human, what is this saying you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by and every vision comes 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.

24 There will be no more false visions or pleasing prophecies inside the nation of Israel,

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.'"

26 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

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.'

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.'"

1 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

2 "Human, prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Say to those who make up their own prophecies: 'Listen to the word of the Lord.

3 This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for the foolish prophets who follow their own ideas and have not seen a vision from me!

4 People of Israel, your prophets have been like wild dogs hunting to kill and eat among ruins.

5 Israel is like a house in ruins, but you have not gone up into the broken places or repaired the wall. So how can Israel hold back the enemy in the battle on the Lord's day of judging?

6 Your prophets see false visions and prophesy lies. They say, "This is the message of the Lord," when the Lord has not sent them. But they still hope their words will come true.

7 You said, "This is the message of the Lord," but that is a false vision. Your prophecies are lies, because I have not spoken.

8 "'So this is what the Lord God says: Because you prophets spoke things that are false and saw visions that do not come true, I am against you, says the Lord God.

9 I will punish the prophets who see false visions and prophesy lies. They will have no place among my people. Their names will not be written on the list of the people of Israel, and they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.

10 "'It is because they lead my people the wrong way by saying, "Peace!" when there is no peace. When the people build a weak wall, the prophets cover it with whitewash to make it look strong.

11 So tell those who cover a weak wall with whitewash that it will fall down. Rain will pour down, hailstones will fall, and a stormy wind will break the wall down.

12 When the wall has fallen, people will ask you, "Where is the whitewash you used on the wall?"

13 "'So this is what the Lord God says: I will break the wall with a stormy wind. In my anger rain will pour down, and hailstones will destroy the wall.

14 I will tear down the wall on which you put whitewash. I will level it to the ground so that people will see the wall's foundation. And when the wall falls, you will be destroyed under it. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

15 So I will carry out my anger on the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. Then I will tell you, "The wall is gone, and those who covered it with whitewash are gone.

16 The prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem and who see visions of peace for the city, when there is no peace, will be gone, says the Lord God."'

17 "Now, human, look toward the women among your people who make up their own prophecies. Prophesy against them.

18 Say, 'This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils of every length to trap people! You ruin the lives of my people but try to save your own lives.

19 For handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, you have dishonored me among my people. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed people who should not die, and you have kept alive those who should not live.

20 "'So this is what the Lord God says: I am against your magic charms, by which you trap people as if they were birds. I will tear those charms off your arms, and I will free those people you have trapped like birds.

21 I will also tear off your veils and save my people from your hands. They will no longer be trapped by your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

22 By your lies you have caused those who did right to be sad, when I did not make them sad. And you have encouraged the wicked not to stop being wicked, which would have saved their lives.

23 So you will not see false visions or prophesy anymore, and I will save my people from your power so you will know that I am the Lord.'"

1 From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To all of God's people who are scattered everywhere in the world: Greetings.

2 My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy,

3 because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.

4 Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need.

5 But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to all people, so he will give you wisdom.

6 But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind.

7

8 Such doubters are thinking two different things at the same time, and they cannot decide about anything they do. They should not think they will receive anything from the Lord.

9 Believers who are poor should be proud, because God has made them spiritually rich.

10 Those who are rich should be proud, because God has shown them that they are spiritually poor. The rich will die like a wild flower in the grass.

11 The sun rises with burning heat and dries up the plants. The flower falls off, and its beauty is gone. In the same way the rich will die while they are still taking care of business.

12 When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever. God promised this to all those who love him.

13 When people are tempted, they should not say, "God is tempting me." Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone.

14 But people are tempted when their own evil desire leads them away and traps them.

15 This desire leads to sin, and then the sin grows and brings death.

16 My dear brothers and sisters, do not be fooled about this.

17 Every good action and every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars, who does not change like their shifting shadows.

18 God decided to give us life through the word of truth so we might be the most important of all the things he made.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, always be willing to listen and slow to speak. Do not become angry easily,

20 because anger will not help you live the right kind of life God wants.

21 So put out of your life every evil thing and every kind of wrong. Then in gentleness accept God's teaching that is planted in your hearts, which can save you.

22 Do what God's teaching says; when you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves.

23 Those who hear God's teaching and do nothing are like people who look at themselves in a mirror.

24 They see their faces and then go away and quickly forget what they looked like.

25 But the truly happy people are those who carefully study God's perfect law that makes people free, and they continue to study it. They do not forget what they heard, but they obey what God's teaching says. Those who do this will be made happy.

26 People who think they are religious but say things they should not say are just fooling themselves. Their "religion" is worth nothing.

27 Religion that God accepts as pure and without fault is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help, and keeping yourself free from the world's evil influence.