Ezekiel 19-21
Christian Standard Bible
A Lament for Israel’s Princes
19 “As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel,(A) 2 and say:
What was your mother? A lioness!
She lay down among the lions;
she reared her cubs among the young lions.
3 She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a young lion.(B)
After he learned to tear prey,
he devoured people.
4 When the nations heard about him,
he was caught in their pit.
Then they led him away with hooks
to the land of Egypt.(C)
5 When she saw that she waited in vain,
that her hope was lost,
she took another of her cubs
and made him a young lion.
6 He prowled among the lions,(D)
and he became a young lion.
After he learned to tear prey,
he devoured people.
7 He devastated their strongholds[a]
and destroyed their cities.
The land and everything in it shuddered
at the sound of his roaring.
8 Then the nations from the surrounding provinces
set out against him.(E)
They spread their net over him;
he was caught in their pit.
9 They put a wooden yoke on him[b] with hooks(F)
and led him away to the king of Babylon.
They brought him into the fortresses
so his roar could no longer be heard
on the mountains of Israel.(G)
10 Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,[c](H)
planted by the water;
it was fruitful and full of branches(I)
because of abundant water.
11 It had strong branches, fit for the scepters of rulers;
its height towered among the clouds.[d]
So it was conspicuous for its height
as well as its many branches.
12 But it was uprooted in fury,(J)
thrown to the ground,
and the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong branches were torn off and dried up;(K)
fire consumed them.
13 Now it is planted in the wilderness,(L)
in a dry and thirsty land.
14 Fire has gone out from its main branch[e]
and has devoured its fruit,
so that it no longer has a strong branch,
a scepter for ruling.(M)
This is a lament and should be used as a lament.”
Israel’s Rebellion
20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of Israel’s elders came to inquire of the Lord,(N) and they sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Are you coming to inquire of me? As I live, I will not let you inquire of me.(O) This is the declaration of the Lord God.’
4 “Will you pass judgment against them, will you pass judgment, son of man? Explain the detestable practices of their ancestors to them.(P) 5 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath[f](Q) to the descendants of Jacob’s house and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, saying, “I am the Lord your God.”(R) 6 On that day I swore[g] to them that I would bring them out(S) of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,(T) the most beautiful of all lands.(U) 7 I also said to them, “Throw away, each of you, the abhorrent things that you prize,[h] and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt.(V) I am the Lord your God.”(W)
8 “‘But they rebelled against me and were unwilling to listen to me. None of them threw away the abhorrent things that they prized,[i] and they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. So I considered pouring out my wrath on them,(X) exhausting my anger against them within the land of Egypt. 9 But I acted for the sake of my name,(Y) so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations they were living among, in whose sight I had made myself known to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt.
10 “‘So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.(Z) 11 Then I gave them my statutes and explained my ordinances to them—the person who does them will live by them.(AA) 12 I also gave them my Sabbaths to serve as a sign between me and them,(AB) so that they would know that I am the Lord who consecrates them.
13 “‘But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness.(AC) They did not follow my statutes and they rejected my ordinances—the person who does them will live by them.(AD) They also completely profaned my Sabbaths.(AE) So I considered pouring out my wrath on them in the wilderness to put an end to them.(AF) 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 However, I swore to them(AG) in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—the most beautiful of all lands, flowing with milk and honey— 16 because they rejected my ordinances, profaned my Sabbaths, and did not follow my statutes. For their hearts went after their idols.(AH) 17 Yet I spared them from destruction and did not bring them to an end in the wilderness.(AI)
18 “‘Then I said to their children in the wilderness, “Don’t follow the statutes of your fathers, defile yourselves with their idols, or keep their ordinances.(AJ) 19 I am the Lord your God. Follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practice them.(AK) 20 Keep my Sabbaths holy,(AL) and they will be a sign between me and you, so you may know that I am the Lord your God.”
21 “‘But the children rebelled against me.(AM) They did not follow my statutes or carefully keep my ordinances—the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned my Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out my wrath on them and exhausting my anger against them in the wilderness. 22 But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I brought them out. 23 However, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.(AN) 24 For they did not practice my ordinances but rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed(AO) on their fathers’ idols. 25 I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances(AP) they could not live by. 26 When they sacrificed every firstborn in the fire,[j](AQ) I defiled them through their gifts in order to devastate them so they would know that I am the Lord.’(AR)
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: In this way also your ancestors blasphemed me by(AS) committing treachery against me: 28 When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree,(AT) they offered their sacrifices and presented their offensive offerings there. They also sent up their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offerings there. 29 So I asked them, “What is this high place you are going to?” And it is still called Bamah[k] today.’
30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your ancestors did,(AU) and prostituting yourselves with their abhorrent things? 31 When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your children in the fire,[l](AV) you still continue to defile yourselves with all your idols today. So should I let you inquire of me, house of Israel? As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I will not let you inquire of me!
Israel’s Restoration
32 “‘When you say, “Let’s be like the nations, like the clans of other countries, serving wood and stone,”(AW) what you have in mind will never happen.(AX) 33 As I live—the declaration of the Lord God—I will reign over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm,(AY) and outpoured wrath. 34 I will bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you were scattered,(AZ) with a strong hand, an outstretched arm,(BA) and outpoured wrath. 35 I will lead you into the wilderness of the peoples(BB) and enter into judgment with you there face to face. 36 Just as I entered into judgment with your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt,(BC) so I will enter into judgment with you. This is the declaration of the Lord God. 37 I will make you pass under the rod(BD) and will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against me.(BE) I will bring them out of the land where they live as foreign residents, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 “‘As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Lord God says: Go and serve your idols, each of you. But afterward you will surely listen to me, and you will no longer defile my holy name with your gifts and idols.(BF) 40 For on my holy mountain, Israel’s high mountain—the declaration of the Lord God—there the entire house of Israel, all of them,(BG) will serve me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your contributions and choicest gifts,(BH) all your holy offerings. 41 When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will demonstrate my holiness through you in the sight of the nations.(BI) 42 When I lead you into the land of Israel, the land I swore to give your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.(BJ) 43 There you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you have defiled yourself,(BK) and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil things you have done.(BL) 44 You will know that I am the Lord,(BM) house of Israel, when I have dealt with you for the sake of my name(BN) rather than according to your evil ways and corrupt acts. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
Fire in the South
45 The word of the Lord came to me: 46 “Son of man, face the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest land in the Negev,(BO) 47 and say to the forest there, ‘Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says: I am about to ignite a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The blazing flame will not be extinguished, and every face from the south to the north will be scorched by it. 48 Then all humanity will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it.(BP) It will not be extinguished.’”
49 Then I said, “Oh, Lord God, they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just composing parables?’” (BQ)
God’s Sword of Judgment
21 The word of the Lord came to me again: 2 “Son of man, face(BR) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel, 3 and say to it, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you.(BS) I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. 4 Since I will cut off[m] both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will therefore come out of its sheath against all humanity from the south to the north.(BT) 5 So all humanity will know that I, the Lord, have taken my sword from its sheath—it will not be sheathed again.’(BU)
6 “But you, son of man, groan! Groan bitterly with a broken heart[n] right before their eyes. 7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ then say, ‘Because of the news that is coming.(BV) Every heart will melt, and every hand will become weak. Every spirit will be discouraged, and all knees will run with urine.[o](BW) Yes, it is coming and it will happen. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
8 The word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, prophesy, ‘This is what the Lord says!’ You are to proclaim,
‘A sword!(BX) A sword is sharpened
and also polished.(BY)
10 It is sharpened for slaughter,
polished to flash like lightning!
Should we rejoice?
The scepter of my son,
the sword despises every tree.[p]
11 The sword is given to be polished,
to be grasped in the hand.
It is sharpened, and it is polished,
to be put in the hand of the slayer.’(BZ)
12 “Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel! They are given over to the sword with my people. Therefore strike your thigh in grief.(CA) 13 Surely it will be a trial! And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter will not continue.”[q] This is the declaration of the Lord God.
14 “So you, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together:(CB)
Let the sword strike two times, even three.
It is a sword for massacre,
a sword for great massacre—
it surrounds[r] them!
15 I have appointed a sword(CC) for slaughter[s]
at all their gates,
so that their hearts may melt
and many may stumble.
Yes! It is ready to flash like lightning;(CD)
it is drawn[t] for slaughter.
16 Slash to the right;
turn to the left—
wherever your blade is directed.
17 I also will clap my hands together, and I will satisfy my wrath.(CE) I, the Lord, have spoken.”
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 19 “Now you, son of man, mark out two roads that the sword of Babylon’s king can take. Both of them should originate from the same land. And make a signpost at the fork in the road to each city. 20 Mark out a road that the sword can take to Rabbah of the Ammonites(CF) and to Judah into fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of Babylon stands at the split in the road, at the fork of the two roads, to practice divination: he shakes the arrows, consults the idols, and observes the liver. 22 The answer marked[u] Jerusalem appears in his right hand, indicating that he should set up battering rams,(CG) give the order to[v] slaughter, raise a battle cry, set battering rams against the gates, build a ramp, and construct a siege wall. 23 It will seem like false divination to those who have sworn an oath to the Babylonians,[w](CH) but it will draw attention to their guilt so that they will be captured.
24 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your actions—since you have done this, you will be captured by them. 25 And you, profane and wicked prince of Israel,[x](CI) the day has come(CJ) for your punishment.[y]
26 “This is what the Lord God says:
Remove the turban, and take off the crown.
Things will not remain as they are;[z]
exalt the lowly and bring down the exalted.(CK)
27 A ruin, a ruin,
I will make it a ruin!
Yet this will not happen
until he comes;(CL)
I have given the judgment to him.[aa]
28 “Now you, son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says concerning the Ammonites and their contempt.’ You are to proclaim,
‘A sword! A sword
is drawn for slaughter,
polished to consume,(CM) to flash like lightning.
29 While they offer false visions(CN)
and lying divinations about you,
the time has come to put you
to the necks of the profane wicked ones;
the day has come
for final punishment.
30 “‘Return it to its sheath!(CO)
“‘I will judge you[ab]
in the place where you were created,
in the land of your origin.
31 I will pour out my indignation on you;
I will blow the fire of my fury on you.(CP)
I will hand you over to brutal men,
skilled at destruction.
32 You will be fuel for the fire.
Your blood will be spilled within the land.
You will not be remembered,(CQ)
for I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
Footnotes
- 19:7 Tg, Aq; MT reads knew their widows
- 19:9 Or put him in a cage
- 19:10 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss read blood
- 19:11 Or thick foliage
- 19:14 Lit from the branch of its parts
- 20:5 Lit I lifted my hand
- 20:6 Lit lifted my hand, also in vv. 15,23,28,42
- 20:7 Lit things of your eyes
- 20:8 Lit things of their eyes
- 20:26 Lit they made every firstborn pass through the fire
- 20:29 = High Place
- 20:31 Lit gifts, making your children pass through the fire
- 21:4 Lit off from you
- 21:6 Lit insides, or waist
- 21:7 Lit knees will go water
- 21:10 Hb obscure
- 21:13 Hb obscure
- 21:14 Or penetrates
- 21:15 Hb obscure
- 21:15 Hb obscure
- 21:22 Lit The divination for
- 21:22 Lit rams, open the mouth in
- 21:23 Lit them
- 21:25 = King Zedekiah
- 21:25 Lit come in the time of the punishment of the end, also in v. 29
- 21:26 Lit This not this
- 21:27 Or comes to whom it rightfully belongs, and I will give it to him
- 21:30 = the Ammonites
Psalm 84
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 84
Longing for God’s House
For the choir director: on the Gittith.(A) A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord of Armies.(B)
2 I long and yearn
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh cry out for[a] the living God.(C)
3 Even a sparrow finds a home,
and a swallow, a nest for herself
where she places her young—
near your altars, Lord of Armies,
my King and my God.(D)
4 How happy are those who reside in your house,
who praise you continually.(E)Selah
5 Happy are the people whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.(F)
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,[b]
they make it a source of spring water;
even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings.[c](G)
7 They go from strength to strength;
each appears before God in Zion.(H)
8 Lord God of Armies, hear my prayer;
listen, God of Jacob.(I)Selah
9 Consider our shield,[d] God;(J)
look on the face of your anointed one.(K)
10 Better a day in your courts
than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than live in the tents of wicked people.(L)
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield.(M)
The Lord grants favor and honor;
he does not withhold the good
from those who live with integrity.(N)
12 Happy is the person who trusts in you,
Lord of Armies!(O)
John 7
Christian Standard Bible
The Unbelief of Jesus’s Brothers
7 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee,(A) since he did not want to travel in Judea(B) because the Jews(C) were trying to kill him.(D) 2 The Jewish Festival of Shelters[a](E) was near. 3 So his brothers(F) said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works(G) that you are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.)
6 Jesus told them, “My time(H) has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. 7 The world cannot hate(I) you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. 8 Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival,[b] because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.
Jesus at the Festival of Shelters
10 After his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up, not openly but secretly. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was a lot of murmuring about him among the crowds. Some were saying, “He’s a good(J) man.” Others were saying, “No, on the contrary, he’s deceiving(K) the people.” 13 Still, nobody was talking publicly about him for fear of the Jews.
14 When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple(L) and began to teach. 15 Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How is this man so learned,(M) since he hasn’t been trained?”
16 Jesus answered them, “My teaching isn’t mine but is from the one who sent me.(N) 17 If anyone wants to do his will,(O) he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. 18 The one who speaks on his own seeks his own glory;(P) but he who seeks the glory(Q) of the one who sent him is true,(R) and there is no unrighteousness in him.(S) 19 Didn’t Moses(T) give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law.(U) Why are you trying to kill me?”
20 “You have a demon!” the crowd responded. “Who is trying to kill you?”
21 “I performed one work,(V) and you are all amazed,” Jesus answered. 22 “This is why Moses has given you circumcision(W) —not that it comes from Moses but from the fathers(X) —and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.(Y) 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath(Z) so that the law of Moses(AA) won’t be broken, are you angry at me because I made a man entirely well on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging(AB) according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”
The Identity of the Messiah
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem(AC) were saying, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Yet, look, he’s speaking publicly and they’re saying nothing to him. Can it be true that the authorities(AD) know he is the Messiah?(AE) 27 But we know where this man is from.(AF) When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where he is from.”
28 As he was teaching in the temple,(AG) Jesus cried out, “You know me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own, but the one who sent me(AH) is true. You don’t know him;(AI) 29 I know him because I am from him, and he sent me.”(AJ)
30 Then they tried to seize him. Yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. 31 However, many from the crowd believed in him and said, “When the Messiah comes, he won’t perform more signs than this man has done,(AK) will he?” 32 The Pharisees(AL) heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and so the chief priests(AM) and the Pharisees sent servants[c] to arrest him.
33 Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time.(AN) Then I’m going to the one who sent me.(AO) 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”(AP)
35 Then the Jews(AQ) said to one another, “Where does he intend to go that we won’t find him? He doesn’t intend to go to the Jewish people dispersed[d](AR) among the Greeks(AS) and teach the Greeks, does he? 36 What is this remark he made: ‘You will look for me, and you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come’(AT)?”
The Promise of the Spirit
37 On the last and most important day of the festival,(AU) Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me[e](AV) and drink.(AW) 38 The one who believes in me,(AX) as the Scripture(AY) has said, will have streams of living water(AZ) flow(BA) from deep within him.” 39 He said this about the Spirit.(BB) Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit,(BC) for the Spirit[f] had not yet been given[g] because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The People Are Divided over Jesus
40 When some from the crowd heard these words, they said, “This truly is the Prophet.”(BD) 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “Surely the Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? 42 Doesn’t the Scripture(BE) say that the Messiah comes from David’s(BF) offspring[h] and from the town of Bethlehem,(BG) where David lived?” 43 So the crowd was divided(BH) because of him. 44 Some of them wanted to seize him,(BI) but no one laid hands on him.
Debate over Jesus’s Claims
45 Then the servants(BJ) came to the chief priests(BK) and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”
46 The servants answered, “No man ever spoke like this!” [i](BL)
47 Then the Pharisees responded to them, “Are you fooled(BM) too? 48 Have any of the rulers(BN) or Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which doesn’t know the law, is accursed.”
50 Nicodemus(BO)—the one who came to him previously and who was one of them—said to them, 51 “Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?” (BP)
52 “You aren’t from Galilee(BQ) too, are you?” they replied. “Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”(BR)
[The earliest mss do not include 7:53–8:11.]
[53 Then each one went to his house.[j]
Footnotes
- 7:2 Or Tabernacles, or Booths
- 7:8 Other mss add yet
- 7:32 Or temple police, or officers, also in vv. 45,46
- 7:35 Gk diaspora; Jewish people scattered throughout Gentile lands
- 7:37 Other mss omit to me
- 7:39 Other mss read Holy Spirit
- 7:39 Lit the Spirit was not yet
- 7:42 Lit seed
- 7:46 Other mss read like this man
- 7:53–8:11 Other mss include all or some of the passage after Jn 7:36,44,52; 21:25; or Lk 21:38.
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