Ezekiel 1

New International Version

Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles^(A) by the Kebar River,^(B) the heavens were opened^(C) and I saw visions^(D) of God.

²On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin^(E)— ³the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel^(F) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.^[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.^(G)

⁴I looked, and I saw a windstorm^(H) coming out of the north^(I)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,^(J) ⁵and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.^(K) In appearance their form was human,^(L) ⁶but each of them had four faces^(M) and four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.^(N) ⁸Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.^(O) All four of them had faces and wings, ⁹and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.^(P)

¹⁰Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.^(Q) ¹¹Such were their faces. They each had two wings^(R) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. ¹²Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.^(S) ¹³The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals^(T) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning^(U) flashed out of it. ¹⁴The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.^(V)

¹⁵As I looked at the living creatures,^(W) I saw a wheel^(X) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. ¹⁶This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,^(Y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. ¹⁷As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction^(Z) as the creatures went. ¹⁸Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes^(AA) all around.

¹⁹When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. ²⁰Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,^(AB) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.^(AC)

²²Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,^(AD) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. ²³Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. ²⁴When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing^(AE) waters, like the voice^(AF) of the Almighty,^[b] like the tumult of an army.^(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

²⁵Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. ²⁶Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne^(AH) of lapis lazuli,^(AI) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.^(AJ) ²⁷I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.^(AK) ²⁸Like the appearance of a rainbow^(AL) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.^(AM)

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory^(AN) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,^(AO) and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Footnotes

Ezekiel 1:3 Or Chaldeans
Ezekiel 1:24 Hebrew Shaddai

Isaiah 6

New International Version

Isaiah’s Commission

6 In the year that King Uzziah^(A) died,^(B) I saw the Lord,^(C) high and exalted,^(D) seated on a throne;^(E) and the train of his robe^(F) filled the temple. ²Above him were seraphim,^(G) each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet,^(H) and with two they were flying. ³And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy^(I), holy is the Lord Almighty;^(J)
the whole earth^(K) is full of his glory.”^(L)

⁴At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.^(M)

⁵“Woe^(N) to me!” I cried. “I am ruined!^(O) For I am a man of unclean lips,^(P) and I live among a people of unclean lips,^(Q) and my eyes have seen^(R) the King,^(S) the Lord Almighty.”^(T)

⁶Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal^(U) in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips;^(V) your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.^(W)”

⁸Then I heard the voice^(X) of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?^(Y) And who will go for us?^(Z)”

And I said, “Here am I.^(AA) Send me!”

⁹He said, “Go^(AB) and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’^(AC)
¹⁰Make the heart of this people calloused;^(AD)
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.^[a]^(AE)
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,^(AF)
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”^(AG)

¹¹Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”^(AH)

And he answered:

“Until the cities lie ruined^(AI)
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted^(AJ)
    and the fields ruined and ravaged,^(AK)
¹²until the Lord has sent everyone far away^(AL)
    and the land is utterly forsaken.^(AM)
¹³And though a tenth remains^(AN) in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.^(AO)
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps^(AP) when they are cut down,
    so the holy^(AQ) seed will be the stump in the land.”^(AR)

Footnotes

Isaiah 6:10 Hebrew; Septuagint ‘You will be ever hearing, but never understanding; / you will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / ¹⁰This people’s heart has become calloused; / they hardly hear with their ears, / and they have closed their eyes