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Ezekiel Speaks Against False Prophets

13 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: ² “Human being, prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Say to those who make up their own prophecies: ‘Listen to the word of the Lord. ³ This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for the foolish prophets. They are the ones who follow their own ideas. And they have not seen a vision from me. ⁴ People of Israel, your prophets have been like wild dogs hunting to kill and eat among ruins. ⁵ Israel is like a house in ruins. But you have not gone up into the broken places. Your prophets have not repaired the wall. So how can Israel hold back the enemy in the battle on the Lord’s day of judging? ⁶ Your prophets see false visions. They prophesy lies. They say, “This is the message of the Lord.” The Lord has not sent them. But they still hope their words will come true. ⁷ You said, “This is the message of the Lord.” But that is a false vision. Your prophecies are lies because I have not spoken.

⁸ “‘So this is what the Lord God says: You prophets spoke things that are false. You saw visions that do not come true. That is why I am against you, says the Lord God. ⁹ So I will punish the prophets who see false visions and prophesy lies. They will have no place among my people. Their names will not be written on the list of the people of Israel. They will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.

¹⁰ “‘It is because they led my people away. They said, “Peace!” but there is no peace. When the people build a weak wall, the prophets cover it with whitewash to make it look strong. ¹¹ So tell those who cover a weak wall with whitewash that it will fall down. Rain will pour down. Hailstones will fall. And a stormy wind will break the wall down. ¹² When the wall has fallen, people will ask you, “Where is the whitewash you used on the wall?”

¹³ “‘So this is what the Lord God says: I will break the wall with a stormy wind. In my anger rain will pour down. And hailstones will destroy the wall. ¹⁴ I will tear down the wall on which you put whitewash. I will level it to the ground. Then people will see the wall’s foundation. And when the wall falls, you will be destroyed under it. Then you will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁵ So I will carry out my anger on the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. Then I will tell you, “The wall is gone. And those who covered it with whitewash are also gone. ¹⁶ The prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem will be gone. And those who see visions of peace for Jerusalem will be gone also. There will be no peace, says the Lord God.”’

False Women Prophets

¹⁷ “Now, human being, reject the women among your people who make up their own prophecies. Prophesy against them. ¹⁸ Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for women who sew magic charms on their wrists. How terrible it will be for those who make veils of every length. These women do this to trap people. You ruin the lives of my people but try to save your own lives! ¹⁹ And you have dishonored me among my people. You have done it for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. You have killed people who should not die. And you have kept alive those who should die. You have done this by lying to my people. And my people are willing to listen to lies.

²⁰ “‘So this is what the Lord God says: I am against your magic charms. You use them to trap people as if they were birds. I will tear these charms off your arms. I will free those people you have trapped like birds. ²¹ I will also tear off your veils. I will save my people from your hands. They will no longer be in your power. You will not trap them. Then you will know that I am the Lord. ²² By your lies you caused the heart of the person who did right to be sad. I did not make him sad. You have encouraged the evil person not to stop being evil. And that would have saved his life. ²³ So you will not see any more false visions. You will not prophesy anymore. And I will save my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

Stop Worshiping Idols

14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. ² Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said: ³ “Human being, these men love to worship idols. They put up evil things that cause people to sin. Should I allow them to ask me for help? ⁴ So speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Any person in Israel might want to worship idols. He might even put up evil things that cause people to sin. Then he might come to the prophet. When he does, I, the Lord, will answer him. I will put him to death because he worshiped idols. ⁵ Then I will win back my people Israel. They have left me because of all their idols.’

⁶ “So say this to the people of Israel: ‘This is what the Lord God says: Change your hearts and lives. Stop worshiping idols. Stop doing all the things I hate. ⁷ Any Israelite or any foreigner in Israel can separate himself from me. He can do this by wanting to worship idols. Or he can put up the things that cause people to sin. Then if he comes to the prophet to ask me questions, I, the Lord, will answer him myself. ⁸ I will reject him. I will make him a sign and an example. I will separate him from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

⁹ “‘But the prophet may be tricked into giving a prophecy. Then it is because I, the Lord, have tricked that prophet to speak. Then I will use my power against him. I will destroy him from among my people Israel. ¹⁰ The prophet will be as guilty as the one who asks him for help. They both will be responsible for their guilt. ¹¹ Then the nation of Israel will not leave me anymore. And they will not make themselves unclean anymore with all their sins. Then they will be my people. And I will be their God, says the Lord God.’”

Jerusalem Will Not Be Spared

¹² The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: ¹³ “Human being, sometimes the people of a country will sin against me by not being loyal. When that happens, I will use my power against them. I will cut off their supply of food. I will send them a time of hunger. I will destroy both their people and animals. ¹⁴ Three great men like Noah, Daniel and Job might be in that country. But their goodness could save only themselves, says the Lord God.

¹⁵ “I might even send wild animals into that land. They would leave the land empty and without children. Then no one would pass through it because of the animals. ¹⁶ As surely as I live, says the Lord God, not even Noah, Daniel and Job could help. Even if they were in the land, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They could only save themselves. And that country would remain empty.

¹⁷ “Or, I might bring a war against that country. I might say, ‘Let a war be fought in that land. Let it destroy its men and animals.’ ¹⁸ As surely as I live, says the Lord God, not even these three men could help. Even if they were in the land, they could not save their sons or daughters. They could only save themselves.

¹⁹ “Or, I might cause a disease to spread in that country. I might pour out my anger against that country, destroying and killing people and animals. ²⁰ As surely as I live, says the Lord God, not even Noah, Daniel and Job could help. Even if they were in the land, they could not save their son or daughter. They could save only themselves because they did what was right.

²¹ “This is what the Lord God says: I will send my four terrible punishments against Jerusalem. They are war, hunger, wild animals and disease. They will destroy people and animals from Jerusalem. ²² But some people will escape. Some sons and daughters will be led out. They will come out to you. You will see how they live. Then you will be comforted after the disasters I have brought against Jerusalem. You will be comforted after all the things I will bring against it. ²³ You will be comforted when you see how they live. You will know there was a good reason for what I did to Jerusalem, says the Lord God.”

Story of the Vine

15 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: ² “Human being, what good is the wood of the vine? Is it better than the wood of a tree in the forest? ³ Can wood be taken from the vine to make anything? Can you use it to make a peg on which to hang something? ⁴ The vine is thrown into the fire for fuel. The fire burns up both ends and starts to burn the middle. Then is it useful for anything? ⁵ When the vine was whole, it couldn’t be made into anything. When the fire has burned it completely, it certainly cannot be made into anything.”

⁶ So this is what the Lord God says: “Out of all the trees in the forest, I gave the wood of the vine as fuel for fire. In the same way I have given up the people who live in Jerusalem. ⁷ I will turn against them. They came through one fire. But fire will still destroy them. When I turn against them, you will know that I am the Lord. ⁸ So I will make the land empty. This is because the people have not been loyal, says the Lord God.”