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Impending Disaster

The word of the Lord came to me: You, O mortal, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel:

An end! The end has come
    upon the four corners of the land.
Now the end is upon you,
    I will let loose my anger upon you;
I will judge you according to your ways,
    I will punish you for all your abominations.
My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity.
    I will punish you for your ways,
    while your abominations are among you.

Then you shall know that I am the Lord.

Thus says the Lord God:

Disaster after disaster! See, it comes.
    An end has come, the end has come.
It has awakened against you; see, it comes!
Your doom[a] has come to you,
    O inhabitant of the land.
The time has come, the day is near—
    of tumult, not of reveling on the mountains.
Soon now I will pour out my wrath upon you;
    I will spend my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your ways,
    and punish you for all your abominations.
My eye will not spare; I will have no pity.
    I will punish you according to your ways,
    while your abominations are among you.

Then you shall know that it is I the Lord who strike.

10 See, the day! See, it comes!
    Your doom[b] has gone out.
The rod has blossomed, pride has budded.
11     Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness.
None of them shall remain,
    not their abundance, not their wealth;
    no pre-eminence among them.[c]
12 The time has come, the day draws near;
    let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn,
    for wrath is upon all their multitude.

13 For the sellers shall not return to what has been sold as long as they remain alive. For the vision concerns all their multitude; it shall not be revoked. Because of their iniquity, they cannot maintain their lives.[d]

14 They have blown the horn and made everything ready;
    but no one goes to battle,
    for my wrath is upon all their multitude.
15 The sword is outside, pestilence and famine are inside;
    those in the field die by the sword;
    those in the city—famine and pestilence devour them.
16 If any survivors escape,
    they shall be found on the mountains
    like doves of the valleys,
all of them moaning over their iniquity.
17 All hands shall grow feeble,
    all knees turn to water.
18 They shall put on sackcloth,
    horror shall cover them.
Shame shall be on all faces,
    baldness on all their heads.
19 They shall fling their silver into the streets,
    their gold shall be treated as unclean.

Their silver and gold cannot save them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. They shall not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity. 20 From their[e] beautiful ornament, in which they took pride, they made their abominable images, their detestable things; therefore I will make of it an unclean thing to them.

21 I will hand it over to strangers as booty,
    to the wicked of the earth as plunder;
    they shall profane it.
22 I will avert my face from them,
    so that they may profane my treasured[f] place;
the violent shall enter it,
    they shall profane it.
23 Make a chain![g]
For the land is full of bloody crimes;
    the city is full of violence.
24 I will bring the worst of the nations
    to take possession of their houses.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the strong,
    and their holy places shall be profaned.
25 When anguish comes, they will seek peace,
    but there shall be none.
26 Disaster comes upon disaster,
    rumor follows rumor;
they shall keep seeking a vision from the prophet;
    instruction shall perish from the priest,
    and counsel from the elders.
27 The king shall mourn,
    the prince shall be wrapped in despair,
    and the hands of the people of the land shall tremble.
According to their way I will deal with them;
    according to their own judgments I will judge them.

And they shall know that I am the Lord.

Abominations in the Temple

In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there. I looked, and there was a figure that looked like a human being;[h] below what appeared to be its loins it was fire, and above the loins it was like the appearance of brightness, like gleaming amber. It stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, to the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. And the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I had seen in the valley.

Then God[i] said to me, “O mortal, lift up your eyes now in the direction of the north.” So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. He said to me, “Mortal, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? Yet you will see still greater abominations.”

And he brought me to the entrance of the court; I looked, and there was a hole in the wall. Then he said to me, “Mortal, dig through the wall”; and when I dug through the wall, there was an entrance. He said to me, “Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.” 10 So I went in and looked; there, portrayed on the wall all around, were all kinds of creeping things, and loathsome animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel. 11 Before them stood seventy of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the fragrant cloud of incense was ascending. 12 Then he said to me, “Mortal, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of images? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’” 13 He said also to me, “You will see still greater abominations that they are committing.”

14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord; women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. 15 Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O mortal? You will see still greater abominations than these.”

16 And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord; there, at the entrance of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east, prostrating themselves to the sun toward the east. 17 Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O mortal? Is it not bad enough that the house of Judah commits the abominations done here? Must they fill the land with violence, and provoke my anger still further? See, they are putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore I will act in wrath; my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; and though they cry in my hearing with a loud voice, I will not listen to them.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 7:7 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. Ezekiel 7:10 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. Ezekiel 7:11 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. Ezekiel 7:13 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. Ezekiel 7:20 Syr Symmachus: Heb its
  6. Ezekiel 7:22 Or secret
  7. Ezekiel 7:23 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  8. Ezekiel 8:2 Gk: Heb like fire
  9. Ezekiel 8:5 Heb he

The End Has Come

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel:

“‘The end!(A) The end has come
    upon the four corners(B) of the land!
The end is now upon you,
    and I will unleash my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your conduct(C)
    and repay you for all your detestable practices.(D)
I will not look on you with pity;(E)
    I will not spare you.
I will surely repay you for your conduct
    and for the detestable practices among you.

“‘Then you will know that I am the Lord.’(F)

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Disaster!(G) Unheard-of[a] disaster!
    See, it comes!
The end(H) has come!
    The end has come!
It has roused itself against you.
    See, it comes!
Doom has come upon you,
    upon you who dwell in the land.
The time has come! The day(I) is near!(J)
    There is panic, not joy, on the mountains.
I am about to pour out my wrath(K) on you
    and spend my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your conduct
    and repay you for all your detestable practices.(L)
I will not look on you with pity;
    I will not spare you.(M)
I will repay you for your conduct
    and for the detestable practices among you.(N)

“‘Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you.(O)

10 “‘See, the day!
    See, it comes!
Doom has burst forth,
    the rod(P) has budded,
    arrogance has blossomed!
11 Violence(Q) has arisen,[b]
    a rod to punish the wicked.
None of the people will be left,
    none of that crowd—
none of their wealth,
    nothing of value.(R)
12 The time has come!
    The day has arrived!
Let not the buyer(S) rejoice
    nor the seller grieve,
    for my wrath is on the whole crowd.(T)
13 The seller will not recover
    the property that was sold—
    as long as both buyer and seller live.
For the vision concerning the whole crowd
    will not be reversed.
Because of their sins, not one of them
    will preserve their life.(U)

14 “‘They have blown the trumpet,(V)
    they have made all things ready,
but no one will go into battle,
    for my wrath(W) is on the whole crowd.
15 Outside is the sword;
    inside are plague and famine.
Those in the country
    will die by the sword;
those in the city
    will be devoured by famine and plague.(X)
16 The fugitives(Y) who escape
    will flee to the mountains.
Like doves(Z) of the valleys,
    they will all moan,
    each for their own sins.(AA)
17 Every hand will go limp;(AB)
    every leg will be wet with urine.(AC)
18 They will put on sackcloth(AD)
    and be clothed with terror.(AE)
Every face will be covered with shame,
    and every head will be shaved.(AF)

19 “‘They will throw their silver into the streets,(AG)
    and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
    will not be able to deliver them
    in the day of the Lord’s wrath.(AH)
It will not satisfy(AI) their hunger
    or fill their stomachs,
    for it has caused them to stumble(AJ) into sin.(AK)
20 They took pride in their beautiful jewelry
    and used it to make(AL) their detestable idols.
They made it into vile images;(AM)
    therefore I will make it a thing unclean for them.(AN)
21 I will give their wealth as plunder(AO) to foreigners
    and as loot to the wicked of the earth,
    who will defile it.(AP)
22 I will turn my face(AQ) away from the people,
    and robbers will desecrate the place I treasure.
They will enter it
    and will defile it.(AR)

23 “‘Prepare chains!
    For the land is full of bloodshed,(AS)
    and the city is full of violence.(AT)
24 I will bring the most wicked of nations
    to take possession of their houses.
I will put an end to the pride of the mighty,
    and their sanctuaries(AU) will be desecrated.(AV)
25 When terror comes,
    they will seek peace in vain.(AW)
26 Calamity upon calamity(AX) will come,
    and rumor upon rumor.
They will go searching for a vision from the prophet,(AY)
    priestly instruction in the law will cease,
    the counsel of the elders will come to an end.(AZ)
27 The king will mourn,
    the prince will be clothed with despair,(BA)
    and the hands of the people of the land will tremble.
I will deal with them according to their conduct,(BB)
    and by their own standards I will judge them.

“‘Then they will know that I am the Lord.(BC)’”

Idolatry in the Temple

In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders(BD) of Judah were sitting before(BE) me, the hand of the Sovereign Lord came on me there.(BF) I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man.[c] From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.(BG) He stretched out what looked like a hand(BH) and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up(BI) between earth and heaven and in visions(BJ) of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court,(BK) where the idol that provokes to jealousy(BL) stood. And there before me was the glory(BM) of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain.(BN)

Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol(BO) of jealousy.

And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable(BP) things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?(BQ) But you will see things that are even more detestable.”

Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

And he said to me, “Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.” 10 So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls(BR) all kinds of crawling things and unclean(BS) animals and all the idols of Israel.(BT) 11 In front of them stood seventy elders(BU) of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer(BV) in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense(BW) was rising.(BX)

12 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness,(BY) each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see(BZ) us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’” 13 Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable.”

14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz.(CA) 15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this.”

16 He then brought me into the inner court(CB) of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar,(CC) were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun(CD) in the east.(CE)

17 He said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the people of Judah to do the detestable things(CF) they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence(CG) and continually arouse my anger?(CH) Look at them putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore I will deal with them in anger;(CI) I will not look on them with pity(CJ) or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen(CK) to them.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 7:5 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Disaster after
  2. Ezekiel 7:11 Or The violent one has become
  3. Ezekiel 8:2 Or saw a fiery figure

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

25 These are other proverbs of Solomon that the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah copied.

It is the glory of God to conceal things,
    but the glory of kings is to search things out.
Like the heavens for height, like the earth for depth,
    so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
Take away the dross from the silver,
    and the smith has material for a vessel;
take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
    or stand in the place of the great;
for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
    than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen
    do not hastily bring into court;
for[a] what will you do in the end,
    when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Argue your case with your neighbor directly,
    and do not disclose another’s secret;
10 or else someone who hears you will bring shame upon you,
    and your ill repute will have no end.

11 A word fitly spoken
    is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
    is a wise rebuke to a listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
    are faithful messengers to those who send them;
    they refresh the spirit of their masters.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of a gift never given.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:8 Cn: Heb or else

More Proverbs of Solomon

25 These are more proverbs(A) of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:(B)

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(C)
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(D)
    and his throne will be established(E) through righteousness.(F)

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(G)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes
    do not bring[a] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
    if your neighbor puts you to shame?(H)

If you take your neighbor to court,
    do not betray another’s confidence,
10 or the one who hears it may shame you
    and the charge against you will stand.

11 Like apples[b] of gold in settings of silver(I)
    is a ruling rightly given.
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
    is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.(J)

13 Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
    is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
    he refreshes the spirit of his master.(K)
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of gifts never given.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / Do not go
  2. Proverbs 25:11 Or possibly apricots

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us[a] and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Renounce Pagan Ways

But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Sleeper, awake!
    Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Christian Household

21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. 24 Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, 27 so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are members of his body.[b] 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. 33 Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:2 Other ancient authorities read you
  2. Ephesians 5:30 Other ancient authorities add of his flesh and of his bones

Follow God’s example,(A) therefore, as dearly loved children(B) and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us(C) and gave himself up for us(D) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.(E)

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,(F) or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,(G) because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk(H) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.(I) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater(J)—has any inheritance(K) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a](L) Let no one deceive you(M) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath(N) comes on those who are disobedient.(O) Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once(P) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light(Q) (for the fruit(R) of the light consists in all goodness,(S) righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.(T) 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(U) but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light(V) becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,(W)
    rise from the dead,(X)
    and Christ will shine on you.”(Y)

15 Be very careful, then, how you live(Z)—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity,(AA) because the days are evil.(AB) 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.(AC) 18 Do not get drunk on wine,(AD) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,(AE) 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.(AF) Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks(AG) to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households(AH)

21 Submit to one another(AI) out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands(AJ) as you do to the Lord.(AK) 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,(AL) his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands(AM) in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives,(AN) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her(AO) 26 to make her holy,(AP) cleansing[b] her by the washing(AQ) with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself(AR) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.(AS) 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives(AT) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.(AU) 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c](AV) 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife(AW) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah and God
  2. Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed
  3. Ephesians 5:31 Gen. 2:24