11 “Afflicted(A) city, lashed by storms(B) and not comforted,(C)
    I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,[a](D)
    your foundations(E) with lapis lazuli.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 54:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

As you come to him, the living Stone(A)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(B) and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built(C) into a spiritual house[a](D) to be a holy priesthood,(E) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(F) For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,(G)
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”[b](H)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16

With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold(A) for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise,[a](B) stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 29:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.(A) In this world you will have trouble.(B) But take heart! I have overcome(C) the world.”

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God’s Glory Departs From the Temple

10 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne(A) of lapis lazuli(B) above the vault(C) that was over the heads of the cherubim.(D)

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17 But I will restore you to health
    and heal(A) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,(B)
    Zion for whom no one cares.’(C)

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15 “Although you have been forsaken(A) and hated,
    with no one traveling(B) through,
I will make you the everlasting pride(C)
    and the joy(D) of all generations.

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18 The wall was made of jasper,(A) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.(B) 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.(C) The first foundation was jasper,(D) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby,(E) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[a] 21 The twelve gates(F) were twelve pearls,(G) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.

13 When the dragon(A) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.(B) 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,(C) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,(D) out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent(E) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war(F) against the rest of her offspring(G)—those who keep God’s commands(H) and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.(I)

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And I will appoint my two witnesses,(A) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,(B) clothed in sackcloth.”(C) They are “the two olive trees”(D) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a](E) If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(F) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(G) They have power to shut up the heavens(H) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(I) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(J) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast(K) that comes up from the Abyss(L) will attack them,(M) and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city(N)—which is figuratively called Sodom(O) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.(P) For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation(Q) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.(R) 10 The inhabitants of the earth(S) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(T) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.

20 built(A) on the foundation(B) of the apostles and prophets,(C) with Christ Jesus himself(D) as the chief cornerstone.(E)

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18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.(A) 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

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22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.(A) “We must go through many hardships(B) to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

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20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn(A) while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.(B) 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain(C) because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief,(D) but I will see you again(E) and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.(F)

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24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

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The Temple Area Restored

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city(A)—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me(B) and he took me there. In visions(C) of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain,(D) on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze;(E) he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod(F) in his hand. The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you,(G) for that is why you have been brought here. Tell(H) the people of Israel everything you see.(I)

The East Gate to the Outer Court

I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits,[a] each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured(J) the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.

Then he went to the east gate.(K) He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep. The alcoves(L) for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits[b] thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.

Then he measured the portico of the gateway; it[c] was eight cubits[d] deep and its jambs were two cubits[e] thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.

10 Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side; the three had the same measurements, and the faces of the projecting walls on each side had the same measurements. 11 Then he measured the width of the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits.[f] 12 In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square. 13 Then he measured the gateway from the top of the rear wall of one alcove to the top of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits[g] from one parapet opening to the opposite one. 14 He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway—sixty cubits.[h] The measurement was up to the portico[i] facing the courtyard.[j](M) 15 The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was fifty cubits.[k] 16 The alcoves and the projecting walls inside the gateway were surmounted by narrow parapet openings all around, as was the portico; the openings all around faced inward. The faces of the projecting walls were decorated with palm trees.(N)

The Outer Court

17 Then he brought me into the outer court.(O) There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all around the court; there were thirty rooms(P) along the pavement.(Q) 18 It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court;(R) it was a hundred cubits[l](S) on the east side as well as on the north.

The North Gate

20 Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court. 21 Its alcoves(T)—three on each side—its projecting walls and its portico(U) had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 22 Its openings, its portico(V) and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them.(W) 23 There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from one gate to the opposite one; it was a hundred cubits.(X)

The South Gate

24 Then he led me to the south side and I saw the south gate. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements(Y) as the others. 25 The gateway and its portico had narrow openings all around, like the openings of the others. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.(Z) 26 Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side.(AA) 27 The inner court(AB) also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it was a hundred cubits.(AC)

The Gates to the Inner Court

28 Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements(AD) as the others. 29 Its alcoves,(AE) its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.(AF) 30 (The porticoes(AG) of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide and five cubits deep.) 31 Its portico(AH) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it.(AI)

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements(AJ) as the others. 33 Its alcoves,(AK) its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its portico(AL) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate(AM) and measured it. It had the same measurements(AN) as the others, 36 as did its alcoves,(AO) its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 37 Its portico[m](AP) faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.(AQ)

The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38 A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings(AR) were washed. 39 In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings,(AS) sin offerings[n](AT) and guilt offerings(AU) were slaughtered.(AV) 40 By the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were two tables. 41 So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered. 42 There were also four tables of dressed stone(AW) for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high.[o] On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.(AX)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 40:5 That is, about 11 feet or about 3.2 meters; also in verse 12. The long cubit of about 21 inches or about 53 centimeters is the basic unit of measurement of length throughout chapters 40–48.
  2. Ezekiel 40:7 That is, about 8 3/4 feet or about 2.7 meters; also in verse 48
  3. Ezekiel 40:9 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts gateway facing the temple; it was one rod deep. Then he measured the portico of the gateway; it
  4. Ezekiel 40:9 That is, about 14 feet or about 4.2 meters
  5. Ezekiel 40:9 That is, about 3 1/2 feet or about 1 meter
  6. Ezekiel 40:11 That is, about 18 feet wide and 23 feet long or about 5.3 meters wide and 6.9 meters long
  7. Ezekiel 40:13 That is, about 44 feet or about 13 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 30, 33 and 36
  8. Ezekiel 40:14 That is, about 105 feet or about 32 meters
  9. Ezekiel 40:14 Septuagint; Hebrew projecting wall
  10. Ezekiel 40:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  11. Ezekiel 40:15 That is, about 88 feet or about 27 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33 and 36
  12. Ezekiel 40:19 That is, about 175 feet or about 53 meters; also in verses 23, 27 and 47
  13. Ezekiel 40:37 Septuagint (see also verses 31 and 34); Hebrew jambs
  14. Ezekiel 40:39 Or purification offerings
  15. Ezekiel 40:42 That is, about 2 2/3 feet long and wide and 21 inches high or about 80 centimeters long and wide and 53 centimeters high

26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne(A) of lapis lazuli,(B) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.(C)

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21 “People have heard my groaning,(A)
    but there is no one to comfort me.(B)
All my enemies have heard of my distress;
    they rejoice(C) at what you have done.
May you bring the day(D) you have announced
    so they may become like me.

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16 “This is why I weep
    and my eyes overflow with tears.(A)
No one is near to comfort(B) me,
    no one to restore my spirit.
My children are destitute
    because the enemy has prevailed.”(C)

17 Zion stretches out her hands,(D)
    but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has decreed for Jacob
    that his neighbors become his foes;(E)
Jerusalem has become
    an unclean(F) thing(G) among them.

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[a]How deserted(A) lies the city,
    once so full of people!(B)
How like a widow(C) is she,
    who once was great(D) among the nations!
She who was queen among the provinces
    has now become a slave.(E)

Bitterly she weeps(F) at night,
    tears are on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers(G)
    there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed(H) her;
    they have become her enemies.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

The Lord will call you back(A)
    as if you were a wife deserted(B) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,(C)
    only to be rejected,” says your God.

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23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,(A)
    who said to you,
    ‘Fall prostrate(B) that we may walk(C) on you.’
And you made your back like the ground,
    like a street to be walked on.”(D)

52 Awake, awake,(E) Zion,
    clothe yourself with strength!(F)
Put on your garments of splendor,(G)
    Jerusalem, the holy city.(H)
The uncircumcised(I) and defiled(J)
    will not enter you again.(K)
Shake off your dust;(L)
    rise up,(M) sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,(N)
    Daughter Zion,(O) now a captive.

For this is what the Lord says:

“You were sold for nothing,(P)
    and without money(Q) you will be redeemed.(R)

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“At first my people went down to Egypt(S) to live;
    lately, Assyria(T) has oppressed them.

“And now what do I have here?” declares the Lord.

“For my people have been taken away for nothing,
    and those who rule them mock,[a]
declares the Lord.
“And all day long
    my name is constantly blasphemed.(U)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 52:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Vulgate; Masoretic Text wail

21 Therefore hear this, you afflicted(A) one,
    made drunk,(B) but not with wine.

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The Cup of the Lord’s Wrath

17 Awake, awake!(A)
    Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
    the cup(B) of his wrath,(C)
you who have drained to its dregs(D)
    the goblet that makes people stagger.(E)
18 Among all the children(F) she bore
    there was none to guide her;(G)
among all the children she reared
    there was none to take her by the hand.(H)
19 These double calamities(I) have come upon you—
    who can comfort you?(J)
ruin and destruction,(K) famine(L) and sword(M)
    who can[a] console you?

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 51:19 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text / how can I

14 But Zion(A) said, “The Lord has forsaken(B) me,
    the Lord has forgotten me.”

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