Prologue

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave^(A) him to show his servants what must soon take place.^(B) He made it known by sending his angel^(C) to his servant John,^{(D) 2} who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God^(E) and the testimony of Jesus Christ.^{(F) 3} Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it,^(G) because the time is near.^(H)

Greetings and Doxology

⁴ John,

To the seven churches^(I) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you^(J) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,^(K) and from the seven spirits^[a](L) before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,^(M) the firstborn from the dead,^(N) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.^(O)

To him who loves us^(P) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,^{(Q) 6} and has made us to be a kingdom and priests^(R) to serve his God and Father^(S)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.^(T)

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”^(X) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,^(Y) the Almighty.”^(Z)

John’s Vision of Christ

⁹ I, John,^(AA) your brother and companion in the suffering^(AB) and kingdom^(AC) and patient endurance^(AD) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God^(AE) and the testimony of Jesus.^{(AF) 10} On the Lord’s Day^(AG) I was in the Spirit,^(AH) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,^{(AI) 11} which said: “Write on a scroll what you see^(AJ) and send it to the seven churches:^(AK) to Ephesus,^(AL) Smyrna,^(AM) Pergamum,^(AN) Thyatira,^(AO) Sardis,^(AP) Philadelphia^(AQ) and Laodicea.”^(AR)

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,^{(AS) 13} and among the lampstands^(AT) was someone like a son of man,^[d](AU) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet^(AV) and with a golden sash around his chest.^{(AW) 14} The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.^{(AX) 15} His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,^(AY) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.^{(AZ) 16} In his right hand he held seven stars,^(BA) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.^(BB) His face was like the sun^(BC) shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet^(BD) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me^(BE) and said: “Do not be afraid.^(BF) I am the First and the Last.^{(BG) 18} I am the Living One; I was dead,^(BH) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!^(BI) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.^(BJ)

¹⁹ “Write, therefore, what you have seen,^(BK) what is now and what will take place later. ²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand^(BL) and of the seven golden lampstands^(BM) is this: The seven stars are the angels^[e] of the seven churches,^(BN) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.^(BO)

Renewal of Ezekiel’s Call as Watchman

33 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword^(A) against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,^{(B) 3} and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet^(C) to warn the people, ⁴ then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning^(D) and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.^{(E) 5} Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head.^(F) If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.^{(G) 6} But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’^(H)

⁷ “Son of man, I have made you a watchman^(I) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.^{(J) 8} When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,^(K)’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for^[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(L) 9} But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so,^(M) they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.^(N)

¹⁰ “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away^(O) because of^[b] them. How then can we live?^(P)”’ ¹¹ Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.^(Q) Turn!^(R) Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’^(S)

¹² “Therefore, son of man, say to your people,^(T) ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’^{(U) 13} If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.^{(V) 14} And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just^(W) and right— ¹⁵ if they give back what they took in pledge^(X) for a loan, return what they have stolen,^(Y) follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die.^{(Z) 16} None of the sins^(AA) that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.^(AB)

¹⁷ “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. ¹⁸ If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil,^(AC) they will die for it.^{(AD) 19} And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so.^{(AE) 20} Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”^(AF)

Jerusalem’s Fall Explained

²¹ In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped^(AG) from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!^(AH)” ²² Now the evening before the man arrived, the hand of the Lord was on me,^(AI) and he opened my mouth^(AJ) before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer silent.^(AK)

²³ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ²⁴ “Son of man, the people living in those ruins^(AL) in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many;^(AM) surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’^{(AN) 25} Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you eat^(AO) meat with the blood^(AP) still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?^{(AQ) 26} You rely on your sword, you do detestable things,^(AR) and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife.^(AS) Should you then possess the land?’

²⁷ “Say this to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those who are left in the ruins will fall by the sword, those out in the country I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those in strongholds and caves will die of a plague.^{(AT) 28} I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains^(AU) of Israel will become desolate so that no one will cross them.^{(AV) 29} Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolate^(AW) waste because of all the detestable things they have done.’^(AX)

³⁰ “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ ³¹ My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before^(AY) you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy^(AZ) for unjust gain.^{(BA) 32} Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs^(BB) with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.^(BC)

³³ “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.^(BD)”

The Lord Will Be Israel’s Shepherd

34 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?^{(BE) 3} You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.^{(BF) 4} You have not strengthened the weak or healed^(BG) the sick or bound up^(BH) the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.^{(BI) 5} So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,^(BJ) and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.^{(BK) 6} My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.^(BL) They were scattered^(BM) over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.^(BN)

⁷ “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered^(BO) and has become food for all the wild animals,^(BP) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,^{(BQ) 9} therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against^(BR) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue^(BS) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.^(BT)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(BU) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(BV) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.^{(BW) 13} I will bring them out from the nations and gather^(BX) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.^(BY) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.^{(BZ) 14} I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel^(CA) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture^(CB) on the mountains of Israel.^{(CC) 15} I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,^(CD) declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(CE) 16} I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up^(CF) the injured and strengthen the weak,^(CG) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.^(CH) I will shepherd the flock with justice.^(CI)

¹⁷ “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.^{(CJ) 18} Is it not enough^(CK) for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet?^(CL) Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? ¹⁹ Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

²⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.^{(CM) 21} Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns^(CN) until you have driven them away, ²² I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.^{(CO) 23} I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend^(CP) them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.^{(CQ) 24} I the Lord will be their God,^(CR) and my servant David^(CS) will be prince among them.^(CT) I the Lord have spoken.^(CU)

²⁵ “‘I will make a covenant^(CV) of peace^(CW) with them and rid the land of savage beasts^(CX) so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.^{(CY) 26} I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.^[c](CZ) I will send down showers in season;^(DA) there will be showers of blessing.^{(DB) 27} The trees will yield their fruit^(DC) and the ground will yield its crops;^(DD) the people will be secure^(DE) in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke^(DF) and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.^{(DG) 28} They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety,^(DH) and no one will make them afraid.^{(DI) 29} I will provide for them a land renowned^(DJ) for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine^(DK) in the land or bear the scorn^(DL) of the nations.^{(DM) 30} Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(DN) 31} You are my sheep,^(DO) the sheep of my pasture,^(DP) and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

A Prophecy Against Edom

35 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir;^(DQ) prophesy against it ³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand^(DR) against you and make you a desolate waste.^{(DS) 4} I will turn your towns into ruins^(DT) and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(DU)

⁵ “‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword^(DV) at the time of their calamity,^(DW) the time their punishment reached its climax,^{(DX) 6} therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed^(DY) and it will pursue you.^(DZ) Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. ⁷ I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste^(EA) and cut off from it all who come and go.^{(EB) 8} I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines.^{(EC) 9} I will make you desolate forever;^(ED) your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(EE)

¹⁰ “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession^(EF) of them,” even though I the Lord was there, ¹¹ therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger^(EG) and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.^{(EH) 12} Then you will know that I the Lord have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.^(EI)” ¹³ You boasted^(EJ) against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.^{(EK) 14} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.^{(EL) 15} Because you rejoiced^(EM) when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir,^(EN) you and all of Edom.^(EO) Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”