The Vision of the Measuring Line

2 Then I looked up. And I saw a man holding a line for measuring things. ² I asked him, “Where are you going?”

He said to me, “I am going to measure Jerusalem. I will see how wide and how long it is.”

³ Then the angel who was talking with me left. And another angel came out to meet him. ⁴ The second angel said to him, “Run and tell that young man this: ‘Jerusalem will become a city without walls because there will be so many people and cattle in it. ⁵ I will be a wall of fire around it,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will be the glory within it.’

⁶ “Hurry! Run away from Babylon. I have scattered you in all directions,” says the Lord.

⁷ “Hurry, people of Jerusalem! Escape from Babylon.” ⁸ This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says: “Whoever hurts you hurts what is precious to me.”

So the Lord will honor me. And he will send me to speak against those nations who scattered you. ⁹ “I will raise my hand against them. Their slaves will rob them.”

Then you will know that the Lord of heaven’s armies sent me.

¹⁰ “Shout and be glad, Jerusalem. I am coming, and I will live among you,” says the Lord. ¹¹ “At that time people from many nations will come to the Lord. And they will become my people. I will live among you. And you will know that the Lord of heaven’s armies has sent me to you. ¹² Judah will be the Lord’s special part of the holy land. And Jerusalem will be his chosen city again. ¹³ Be silent, everyone. The Lord is coming out of the holy place where he lives.”