Vision of Israel’s Corrupt Leaders

11 The Spirit then lifted me up^(A) and brought me to the eastern gate of the Lord’s house, which faces east, and at the gate’s entrance were 25 men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. ² The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plan evil^(B) and give wicked advice in this city. ³ They are saying, ‘Isn’t the time near to build houses?^[a](C) The city is the pot,^(D) and we are the meat.’ ⁴ Therefore, prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”

⁵ Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and He told me, “You are to say: This is what the Lord says: That is what you are thinking, house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your mind.^{(E) 6} You have multiplied your slain in this city,^(F) filling its streets with the dead.

⁷ “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: The slain you have put within it are the meat,^(G) and the city is the pot, but I^[b] will remove you from it.^{(H) 8} You fear the sword,^(I) so I will bring the sword against you.”^(J) This is the declaration of the Lord God. ⁹ “I will bring you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners; I will execute judgments against you.^{(K) 10} You will fall by the sword,^(L) and I will judge you at the border of Israel.^(M) Then you will know that I am Yahweh. ¹¹ The city will not be a pot for you,^(N) and you will not be the meat within it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, ¹² so you will know that I am Yahweh, whose statutes you have not followed and whose ordinances you have not practiced. Instead, you have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.”^(O)

¹³ Now while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died.^(P) Then I fell facedown and cried out with a loud voice: “Oh, Lord God!^(Q) Will You bring to an end the remnant of Israel?”

Promise of Israel’s Restoration

¹⁴ The word of the Lord came to me again: ¹⁵ “Son of man, your own relatives, those who have the right to redeem you,^[c][d] and the entire house of Israel, all of them, are those that the residents of Jerusalem have said this to, ‘Stay away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’

¹⁶ “Therefore say: This is what the Lord God says: Though I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them^(R) in the countries where they have gone.

¹⁷ “Therefore say: This is what the Lord God says: I will gather you from the peoples^(S) and assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.

¹⁸ “When they arrive there, they will remove all its^(T) detestable things^(U) and practices from it. ¹⁹ And I will give them one heart^(V) and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone^(W) from their bodies^[e] and give them a heart of flesh,^{(X) 20} so they may follow My statutes,^(Y) keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.^{(Z) 21} But as for those whose hearts pursue their desire for detestable things and practices, I will bring their actions down on their own heads.”^(AA) This is the declaration of the Lord God.

God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem

²² Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, lifted their wings,^(AB) and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. ²³ The glory of the Lord^(AC) rose up from within the city and stood on the mountain^(AD) east of the city.^{[f](AE) 24} The Spirit lifted me up^(AF) and brought me to Chaldea and to the exiles in a vision from the Spirit of God. After the vision I had seen left me, ²⁵ I spoke to the exiles about all the things the Lord had shown me.

Ezekiel Dramatizes the Exile

12 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious house.^(AG) They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear,^(AH) for they are a rebellious house.^(AI)

³ “Son of man, get your bags ready for exile and go into exile in their sight during the day. You will go into exile from your place to another place while they watch; perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. ⁴ During the day, bring out your bags like an exile’s bags while they look on. Then in the evening go out in their sight like those going into exile. ⁵ As they watch, dig through the wall and take the bags out through it. ⁶ And while they look on, lift the bags to your shoulder and take them out in the dark; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”^(AJ)

⁷ So I did just as I was commanded. In the daytime I brought out my bags like an exile’s bags. In the evening I dug through the wall by hand; I took them out in the dark, carrying them on my shoulder in their sight.

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me in the morning: ⁹ “Son of man, hasn’t the house of Israel, that rebellious house,^(AK) asked you, ‘What are you doing?’^{(AL) 10} Say to them: This is what the Lord God says: This oracle is about the prince^[g] in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are living there.^{[h] 11} You are to say, ‘I am a sign for you. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile,^(AM) into captivity.’ ¹² The prince who is among^(AN) them will lift his bags to his shoulder in the dark and go out. They^[i] will dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land with his eyes. ¹³ But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he will not see it,^(AO) and he will die there. ¹⁴ I will also scatter all the attendants who surround him and all his troops to every direction of the wind,^(AP) and I will draw a sword to chase after them. ¹⁵ They will know that I am Yahweh^(AQ) when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.^{(AR) 16} But I will spare a few of them from the sword,^(AS) famine, and plague so they can tell about all their detestable practices among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”

Ezekiel Dramatizes Israel’s Anxiety

¹⁷ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁸ “Son of man, eat your bread with^(AT) trembling and drink your water with shaking and anxiety. ¹⁹ Then say to the people of the land: This is what the Lord God says about the residents of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their^[j][k] land will be stripped of everything^(AU) in it because of the violence of all who live there. ²⁰ The inhabited cities will be destroyed, and the land will become a desolation. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”

A Deceptive Proverb Stopped

²¹ Again the word of the Lord came to me: ²² “Son of man, what is this proverb you people have about the land of Israel,^(AV) which goes:

²³ Therefore say to them: This is what the Lord God says: I will put a stop to this proverb, and they will not use it again in Israel.^(AX) But say to them: The days draw near,^(AY) as well as the fulfillment of every vision. ²⁴ For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination^(AZ) within the house of Israel. ²⁵ But I, Yahweh, will speak whatever message I will speak, and it will be done.^(BA) It will no longer be delayed.^(BB) For in your days, rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

²⁶ The word of the Lord came to me: ²⁷ “Son of man, notice that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees concerns many years from now;^(BC) he prophesies about distant times.’ ²⁸ Therefore say to them: This is what the Lord God says: None of My words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

4 ¹ Now I say that as long as the heir^(A) is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner^(B) of everything. ² Instead, he is under guardians and stewards until the time set by his father. ³ In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elemental forces^[a] of the world.^{(C) 4} When the time came to completion, God sent His Son,^(D) born of a woman,^(E) born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.^{(F) 6} And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son^(G) into our^[b] hearts, crying, “Abba,^(H) Father!”^{(I) 7} So you are no longer a slave^(J) but a son,^(K) and if a son, then an heir^(L) through God.

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸ But in the past, when you didn’t know God,^(M) you were enslaved to things^[c] that by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now, since you know God,^(N) or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt^(O) elemental forces?^(P) Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? ¹⁰ You observe special days, months, seasons, and years.^{(Q) 11} I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.

¹² I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like you. You have not wronged me; ¹³ you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a physical illness. ¹⁴ You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you.^[d] On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

¹⁵ What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?^{(R) 17} They^[e] are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. ¹⁸ Now it is always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am with you. ¹⁹ My children,^(S) I am again suffering labor pains^(T) for you until Christ is formed in you. ²⁰ I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.

Sarah and Hagar: Two Covenants

²¹ Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham^(U) had two sons, one by a slave^(V) and the other by a free woman. ²³ But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. ²⁴ These things are illustrations,^[f] for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai^(W) and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar.^{(X) 25} Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia^(Y) and corresponds to the present Jerusalem,^(Z) for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above^(AA) is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:^(AB)

²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac,^(AE) are children of promise.^{(AF) 29} But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit,^(AG) so also now.^{(AH) 30} But what does the Scripture say?

³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.^(AJ)