⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[a](A) 6} But the righteousness that is by faith^(B) says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[b](C) (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”^[c](D) (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).^{(E) 8} But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^[d](F) that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you declare^(G) with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”^(H) and believe^(I) in your heart that God raised him from the dead,^(J) you will be saved.^{(K) 10} For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^{[e](L) 12} For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile^(M)—the same Lord is Lord of all^(N) and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord^(O) will be saved.”^[f](P)

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”^[g](Q)

¹⁶ But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.^(R) For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”^{[h](S) 17} Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,^(T) and the message is heard through the word about Christ.^(U)

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

³ Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate^(A) it, and it tasted as sweet as honey^(B) in my mouth.

⁴ He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.^{(C) 5} You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,^(D) but to the people of Israel— ⁶ not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.^{(E) 7} But the people of Israel are not willing to listen^(F) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.^{(G) 8} But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.^{(H) 9} I will make your forehead^(I) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.^(J) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^(K)”

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart^(L) all the words I speak to you. ¹¹ Go^(M) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’^(N) whether they listen or fail to listen.^(O)”

¹² Then the Spirit lifted me up,^(P) and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing.^{[a] 13} It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures^(Q) brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound.^{(R) 14} The Spirit^(S) then lifted me up^(T) and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord^(U) on me. ¹⁵ I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River.^(V) And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days^(W)—deeply distressed.

Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman

¹⁶ At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:^{(X) 17} “Son of man, I have made you a watchman^(Y) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.^{(Z) 18} When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,^(AA)’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for^[b] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(AB) 19} But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn^(AC) from their wickedness^(AD) or from their evil ways, they will die^(AE) for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.^(AF)

²⁰ “Again, when a righteous person turns^(AG) from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block^(AH) before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(AI) 21} But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.^(AJ)”

²² The hand of the Lord^(AK) was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go^(AL) out to the plain,^(AM) and there I will speak to you.” ²³ So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River,^(AN) and I fell facedown.^(AO)

²⁴ Then the Spirit came into me and raised me^(AP) to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house.^{(AQ) 25} And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.^{(AR) 26} I will make your tongue stick to the roof^(AS) of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people.^{(AT) 27} But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’^(AU) Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.^(AV)