Old/New Testament
God Brews His Judgment
24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month, and on the tenth day of the month, this message came to me from the Lord:
2 “Son of Man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem on this very day. 3 So compose a parable for the rebellious house. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:
“Prepare your pot for boiling!
Set it in place.
Fill it up with water, too.
4 Gather together the best pieces of meat on it—
including the thighs and the shoulders—
and fill it with the choicest bones.
5 Take the best bones from the flock,
pile wood[a] under the pot[b] for the bones,
bring it to a boil,
and then cook the bones in it.”’”
Woe to Jerusalem
6 “This is what the Lord God says:
‘How terrible it is for that blood-filled city,
to the pot whose rust remains in it,
whose rust won’t come off.
Empty it one piece at a time.
Don’t let a lot fall on it.
7 Her blood was in it.
She poured it out onto bare rock.
She didn’t pour it out on the ground,
intending to cover it with dirt.
8 In order to stir up my anger
and in order to take vengeance,
I set the blood on a bare rock
so that it cannot be covered.’
9 “Therefore this is what the Lord God says:
‘How terrible it is for that blood-filled city—
I’m also going to add to my[c] pile of kindling.
10 Pile up the wood!
Make the fire burn hot.
Boil the meat!
Mix the seasonings.
Burn those bones to a crisp!
11 Make the pot stand empty on the coals
until its bronze glows red,[d]
its rust can be scoured off,[e]
and its dross completely removed.
12 The pot[f] wearies me,[g]
but its thick[h] rust won’t come off,
even with fire.
13 There is wickedness in your obscene conduct.
Even though I’ve cleansed you,
your uncleanness cannot be washed away.
You cannot be cleansed again
until my rage against you has subsided.’
14 “‘I, the Lord have spoken. It will happen, because I’m going to do it. I won’t hold back, have compassion, or change my mind.[i] They’ll judge you according to your ways and deeds,’ declares the Lord God.”
The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife
15 This message came to me from the Lord: 16 “Son of Man, pay attention! I’m about to take away your most precious treasure[j] with a single, fatal stroke, but you are not to mourn, weep, nor even let tears well up in your eyes.[k] 17 You are to weep in silence, but you are not to participate in mourning rituals.[l] You are to keep your turban on your head and your sandals on your feet. You are not to cover your mouth[m] or eat what your comforters bring to you.”[n]
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died that evening. The next[o] morning, I did as I had been commanded.
19 Then the people told me, “Are you going to explain what these things that you’re doing should mean to us?”
20 So I responded, “This message came to me from the Lord: 21 ‘Tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: “Look! I’m about to profane my sanctuary, the source of your proud strength, the desire of your eyes, and the object of your affection. Your sons and daughters, whom you’ve left behind, will die by the sword. 22 That’s why you will soon be doing what I’ve just done. You are not to cover your mouth[p] or eat what your comforters bring to you.[q] 23 Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals will be on your feet. You won’t mourn or weep. Instead, you’ll waste away in your sins. Every one of you will groan to his relative. 24 That’s how Ezekiel will be an example for you. You’ll be doing exactly what he has done. When it happens, then you’ll know that I am the Lord God.”’
25 “And now, Son of Man, on the day that I take their strength, joy, and glory from them, those whom they love to watch, the focus of their affection—their sons and daughters— 26 at that time,[r] a fugitive will come to you and will bring you the news.[s] 27 Your mouth will freely speak to the fugitive. You won’t be silent any longer. You’ll be a sign to them. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.”
A Message Condemning Ammon
25 This message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of Man, turn your attention[t] to the descendants of Ammon and rebuke[u] them. 3 Tell the Ammonites: ‘Listen to a message from[v] the Lord God! This is what the Lord God says: “Because you have said, ‘Aha!’[w] about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it became desolate, and about the households of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore you’d better look out! I’m going to turn you over to men[x] from the East, who will dominate you. You will become their property. They will set up military encampments and permanent places[y] in which to live among you, and then they’ll eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will turn Rabbah[z] into a pasture for camels, and Ammon will become a resting place for flocks of sheep. That’s how they’ll learn that I am the Lord.”’”
Why God Condemned Ammon
6 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Because you’ve applauded, stamped your feet, and rejoiced with all sorts of malice in your heart[aa] against the land of Israel, 7 therefore you’d better[ab] watch out! I’m raising a clenched fist[ac] in your direction! I’m about to feed you to the surrounding[ad] nations as war plunder. I’m going to eliminate you as a nation and kill off those of you who survive to live in other[ae] countries. I’m going to destroy you, and that’s how you’ll learn that I am the Lord.’”
A Message Rebuking Moab and Seir
8 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Because Moab and Seir are claiming, “Judah’s citizens are[af] just like every other[ag] nation,” 9 therefore you’d better watch out! I’m going to tear open Moab’s flanks, starting with its frontier cities—the very glory of the nation!—including Beth-jeshimoth,[ah] Baal-meon,[ai] and Kiriathaim.[aj] 10 I’m going to turn these cities[ak] over to men[al] from the East, who will dominate you. You will become their property. As a result, Ammon will be forgotten as a nation. 11 I’m also going to punish Moab, and that’s how they’ll learn that I am the Lord.’”
The Coming Destruction of Edom
12 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Because Edom has made it their practice to seek extraordinary vengeance against Judah’s citizens,[am] and by doing so has incurred extraordinary guilt by taking revenge against them,’ 13 therefore this is what the Lord God says: ‘I’m going to raise my clenched fist[an] in Edom’s direction and eliminate every single human being and animal from Edom! I’m going to turn everything into a wasteland, starting with Teman, and Dedan will fall by violence![ao] 14 I’m going to inundate Edom with[ap] my retribution, using my people Israel to carry it out! They’ll deliver my anger, acting as an agent of my fury. Edom will come to know my vengeance,’ declares the Lord God.’”
A Message Condemning Philistia
15 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Because Philistia has made it their practice to carry out retribution, accompanied by extraordinary malice in their personal vendettas—vendettas that spring from their everlasting hostility— 16 this is what the Lord God says: “Look out! I’m raising my clenched fist[aq] in Philistia’s direction. I’m going to execute[ar] the Cherethites[as] and destroy what’s left of the coastline of the Mediterranean[at] Sea. 17 I’ll take vengeance on them, punishing them severely in my anger. They’ll know that I am the Lord when I take my vengeance on them.”’”
A Message Condemning Tyre
26 During the eleventh year, on the first day of the month of our captivity[au], this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of Man, because Tyre has been saying about Jerusalem,
‘The international gateway is broken down!
It’s wide open to me!
I will be replenished,
now that it lies in ruins!’
3 “Therefore this is what the Lord God says: ‘Watch out! I’m coming to get[av] you, Tyre! I’m about to bring many nations to attack you. They’ll come in wave after wave, like the advancing tide,[aw] 4 and will destroy the city walls of Tyre. After they break down her fortified towers, I’ll scrape away the city’s debris, right down to the bare bedrock, 5 and it will become a place where nets will be spread out right in the middle of the Mediterranean[ax] Sea. Because I have declared this to happen,’ declares the Lord God, ‘Tyre will be treated as the spoils of war by the invading[ay] nations. 6 Furthermore, her citizens[az] who live on the mainland will be executed with swords. That’s how they’ll learn that I am the Lord.’”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Invasion
7 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Watch out! I’m about to bring from the north King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, that king of kings. He’ll come with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a vast army. 8 He’ll execute your citizens who live on the mainland with swords. He’ll build siege engines to attack you. Then he’ll construct siege ramps against you and build huge shields to protect themselves[ba] against you.
9 “‘He’ll direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and will breach your fortified towers with axes.[bb] 10 There will be so many horses that the dust raised by them will cover you completely. The walls of your city will tremble from the noise of Nebuchadnezzar’s[bc] cavalry, wagons, and chariots when they enter through the gates of your city, as men enter a city that has been breached.
11 “‘Their horses will trample all the public places as he executes your inhabitants with swords. The most fortified of your pillars will be torn to the ground. 12 They will plunder your riches and loot your businesses. They’ll tear down your walls and demolish your luxurious homes. They’ll grab the stones, wood, and rubble from the destruction and dump it all into the Mediterranean[bd] Sea.
13 “‘I’ll silence the noise of your songs and the music of your harps won’t be heard anymore. 14 I’ll turn you into bare rock, and your city will become a place to spread nets. You will never be built again, because I the Lord have decreed this,’ declares the Lord God.”
Terror at Tyre’s Destruction
15 “This is what the Lord God says to Tyre: ‘When your wounded citizens groan while the slaughter takes place among you, the people who live in the coastlands will tremble in terror as they hear about your fall, will they not? 16 That’s when all the kings of the seafaring nations will abandon their thrones, strip off their fancy clothes, and collapse trembling on the ground. They’ll be so frightened as they observe what has happened to you that they’ll be unable to stop trembling. They will be utterly appalled at you! 17 They’ll sing this mourning song for you:
“How lost you are,
you inhabited city,
that was built in the middle of the sea!
How famous you were!
How strong on the sea!
She and her inhabitants
inflicted[be] terror to everyone
who lived within her.”
18 ‘Now the coastland inhabitants
will tremble on the day that you fall.
The coastland inhabitants,
who make their living from[bf] the sea,
will be terrified when you pass away!’
19 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘When I turn your city into a ghost town, when I flood you with deep water that covers you completely, 20 I’ll make sure that you go straight to the Pit,[bg] into the lowest part of the earth, where you’ll be with people who lived in ancient times. You’ll keep company there with the dead, who have gone into the Pit.[bh] As a result, your city[bi] won’t be inhabited. Meanwhile, I will display my glory in the land of the living. 21 I’m going to send terrifying calamity in your direction, and you won’t exist any longer. You might be sought after, but you’ll never be found again,’ declares the Lord God.”
Live as God’s Chosen People
2 Therefore, rid yourselves of every kind of evil and deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander. 2 Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation. 3 Surely you have tasted that the Lord is good!
4 As you come to him, the living stone who was rejected by people but was chosen and precious in God’s sight, 5 you, too, as living stones, are building yourselves up into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, so that you may offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus, the Messiah.[a] 6 This is why it says in Scripture:
“Look! I am laying a chosen, precious cornerstone[b] in Zion.
The one who believes in him will never be ashamed.”[c]
7 Therefore he is precious to you who believe, but to those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,[d]
8 a stone they stumble over
and a rock they trip on.”[e]
They keep on stumbling because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds[f] of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are the people of God.
Once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
Live as God’s Servants
11 Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12 Continue to live such upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them.[g]
13 For the Lord’s sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk[h] of foolish people. 16 Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God’s servants. 17 Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers,[i] fearing God, and honoring the king.
Suffer Patiently
18 You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust. 19 For it is a fine thing if, when moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged. 20 What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God’s approval. 21 This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because:
The Messiah[j] also suffered for you
and left an example for you
to follow in his steps.
22 “He never sinned,
and he never told a lie.”[k]
23 When he was insulted,
he did not retaliate.
When he suffered,
he did not threaten.
It was his habit
to commit the matter to the one who judges fairly.
24 “He himself bore our sins”[l] in his body on the tree,
so that we might die to those sins
and live righteously.
“By his wounds
you have been healed.”[m]
25 You were “like sheep that kept going astray,”[n]
but now you have returned to the shepherd
and overseer of your souls.
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