Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

¹⁵ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁶ “Son of man, with one blow^(A) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.^(B) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.^{(C) 17} Groan quietly;^(D) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban^(E) fastened and your sandals^(F) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard^(G) or eat the customary food of mourners.^(H)”

¹⁸ So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.^(I)

¹⁹ Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?^(J) Why are you acting like this?”

²⁰ So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: ²¹ Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary^(K)—the stronghold in which you take pride,^(L) the delight of your eyes,^(M) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters^(N) you left behind will fall by the sword.^{(O) 22} And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard^(P) or eat the customary food of mourners.^{(Q) 23} You will keep your turbans^(R) on your heads and your sandals^(S) on your feet. You will not mourn^(T) or weep but will waste away^(U) because of^[a] your sins and groan among yourselves.^{(V) 24} Ezekiel^(W) will be a sign^(X) to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’

²⁵ “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes,^(Y) their heart’s desire,^(Z) and their sons and daughters^(AA) as well— ²⁶ on that day a fugitive will come to tell you^(AB) the news. ²⁷ At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.^(AC) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.^(AD)”

A Prophecy Against Ammon

25 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against^(AE) the Ammonites^(AF) and prophesy against them.^{(AG) 3} Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!^(AH)” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated^(AI) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,^{(AJ) 4} therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East^(AK) as a possession. They will set up their camps^(AL) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.^{(AM) 5} I will turn Rabbah^(AN) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.^(AO) Then you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶ For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands^(AP) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,^{(AQ) 7} therefore I will stretch out my hand^(AR) against you and give you as plunder^(AS) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy^(AT) you, and you will know that I am the Lord.^(AU)’”

A Prophecy Against Moab

⁸ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab^(AV) and Seir^(AW) said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” ⁹ therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth^(AX), Baal Meon^(AY) and Kiriathaim^(AZ)—the glory of that land. ¹⁰ I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered^(BA) among the nations; ¹¹ and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”^(BB)

A Prophecy Against Edom

¹² “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom^(BC) took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, ¹³ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand^(BD) against Edom and kill both man and beast.^(BE) I will lay it waste, and from Teman^(BF) to Dedan^(BG) they will fall by the sword.^{(BH) 14} I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger^(BI) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”^(BJ)

A Prophecy Against Philistia

¹⁵ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines^(BK) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice^(BL) in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, ¹⁶ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,^(BM) and I will wipe out the Kerethites^(BN) and destroy those remaining along the coast.^{(BO) 17} I will carry out great vengeance^(BP) on them and punish^(BQ) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,^(BR) when I take vengeance on them.^(BS)’”

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,^(A)

To God’s elect,^(B) exiles^(C) scattered^(D) throughout the provinces of Pontus,^(E) Galatia,^(F) Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,^{(G) 2} who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge^(H) of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,^(I) to be obedient^(J) to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:^(K)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.^(L)

Praise to God for a Living Hope

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!^(M) In his great mercy^(N) he has given us new birth^(O) into a living hope^(P) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,^{(Q) 4} and into an inheritance^(R) that can never perish, spoil or fade.^(S) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,^{(T) 5} who through faith are shielded by God’s power^(U) until the coming of the salvation^(V) that is ready to be revealed^(W) in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice,^(X) though now for a little while^(Y) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.^{(Z) 7} These have come so that the proven genuineness^(AA) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire^(AB)—may result in praise, glory and honor^(AC) when Jesus Christ is revealed.^{(AD) 8} Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him^(AE) and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.^(AF)

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke^(AG) of the grace that was to come to you,^(AH) searched intently and with the greatest care,^{(AI) 11} trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ^(AJ) in them was pointing when he predicted^(AK) the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you,^(AL) when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you^(AM) by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.^(AN) Even angels long to look into these things.