Ezekiel 1:4-14

Contemporary English Version

⁴ I saw a windstorm blowing in from the north. Lightning flashed from a huge cloud and lit up the whole sky with a dazzling brightness. The fiery center of the cloud was as shiny as polished metal, ^5 (A) and in that center I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were somewhat like humans, ⁶ except that each one had four faces and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight, but their feet looked like the hoofs of calves and sparkled like bronze. ⁸ Under each of their wings, these creatures had a human hand. ⁹ The four creatures were standing back to back with the tips of their wings touching. They moved together in every direction, without turning their bodies.

^10 (B) Each creature had the face of a human in front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of a bull on the left, and the face of an eagle in back. ¹¹ Two wings^[a] of each creature were spread out and touched the wings of the creatures on either side. The other two wings of each creature were folded against its body.

¹² The four living creatures went wherever the Spirit led them, and they moved together without turning their bodies, because each creature faced straight ahead. ^13 (C) The creatures were glowing like hot coals, and I saw something like a flaming torch moving back and forth among them. Lightning flashed from the torch every time its flame blazed up.^{[b] 14} The creatures themselves moved as quickly as sparks jumping from a fire.^[c]