Old/New Testament
Jerusalem Is Like a Cooking Pot
24 It was the ninth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the tenth day of the tenth month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, write down today’s date. The king of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem and attacked it today. 3 Your people refuse to obey me. So tell them a story. Say to them, ‘The Lord and King told me,
“ ‘ “Put a cooking pot on the fire.
Pour water into it.
4 Put pieces of meat in it.
Use all the best pieces.
Use the leg and shoulder.
Fill it with the best bones.
5 Pick the finest animal in the flock.
Pile wood under the pot to cook the bones.
Bring the water to a boil.
Cook the bones in it.” ’ ”
6 The Lord and King says,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
How terrible for the pot that is coated with scum!
The scum on it will not go away.
Take the meat out of the pot piece by piece.
Take it out in whatever order it comes.
7 “The blood Jerusalem’s people spilled is inside its walls.
They poured it out on a bare rock.
They did not pour it on the ground.
If they had, dust would have covered it up.
8 So I put their blood on the bare rock.
I did not want it to be covered up.
I poured out my great anger on them.
I paid them back.”
9 So the Lord and King said to me,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
I too will pile the wood high.
10 So pile on the wood.
Light the fire.
Cook the meat well.
Mix in the spices.
Let the bones be blackened.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals.
Let it get hot. Let its copper glow.
Then what is not pure in it will melt.
Its scum will be burned away.
12 But it can’t be cleaned up.
Its thick scum has not been removed.
Even fire can’t burn it off.
13 “Jerusalem, you are really impure. I tried to clean you up. But you would not let me make you pure. So you will not be clean again until I am no longer so angry with you.
14 “I have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back. I will not feel sorry for you. I will do what I said I would do. You will be judged for your conduct and actions. I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 16 “Son of man, I will take away from you the wife you delight in. It will happen very soon. But do not sing songs of sadness. Do not let any tears flow from your eyes. 17 Groan quietly. Do not mourn for your wife when she dies. Keep your turban on your head. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies.”
18 So I spoke to my people in the morning. And in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did what I had been commanded to do.
19 Then the people said to me, “Tell us what these things have to do with us. Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I told them. I said, “A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 21 ‘Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, “The Lord and King says, ‘I am about to make my temple “unclean.” I will let the Babylonians burn it down. It is the beautiful building you are so proud of. You take delight in it. You love it. The sons and daughters you left behind will be killed by swords. 22 So do what Ezekiel did. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies. 23 Keep your turbans on your heads. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not mourn or weep. You will waste away because you have sinned so much. You will groan among yourselves. 24 What Ezekiel has done will show you what is going to happen to you. You will do just as he has done. Then you will know that I am the Lord and King.’ ” ’
25 “Son of man, I will take away their beautiful temple. It is their joy and glory. They take delight in it. Their hearts long for it. I will also take away their sons and daughters. 26 On the day I destroy everything, a man will escape. He will come and tell you the news. 27 At that time I will open your mouth. Then you will no longer be silent. You will speak with the man. That will show them what will happen to them. And they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Ammon
25 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, turn your attention to the Ammonites. Prophesy against them. 3 Tell them, ‘Listen to the message of the Lord and King. He says, “You laughed when my temple was made ‘unclean.’ You also laughed when the land of Israel was completely destroyed. You mocked the people of Judah when they were taken away as prisoners. 4 So I am going to hand you over to the people of the east. They will set up their tents in your land. They will camp among you. They will eat your fruit. They will drink your milk. 5 I will turn the city of Rabbah into grasslands for camels. Ammon will become a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ” 6 The Lord and King says, “You clapped your hands. You stamped your feet. Deep down inside, you hated the land of Israel. You were glad because of what happened to it. 7 So I will reach out my powerful hand against you. I will give you and everything you have to the nations. I will bring you to an end among the nations. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Moab
8 The Lord and King says, “Moab and Edom said, ‘Look! Judah has become like all the other nations.’ 9 So I will let Moab’s enemies attack its lower hills. They will begin at the border towns. Those towns include Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim. They are the glory of that land. 10 I will hand Moab over to the people of the east. I will also give the Ammonites to them. And the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations. 11 I will punish Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Edom
12 The Lord and King says, “Edom got even with Judah. That made Edom very guilty.” 13 The Lord continues, “I will reach out my hand against Edom. I will kill its people and their animals. I will completely destroy it. They will be killed by swords from Teman all the way to Dedan. 14 I will use my people Israel to pay Edom back. They will punish Edom because my anger against it is great. They will know how I pay back my enemies,” announces the Lord and King.
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
15 The Lord and King says, “Deep down inside them, the Philistines hated Judah. So the Philistines tried to get even with them. They had been Judah’s enemies for many years. So they tried to destroy them.” 16 The Lord continues, “I am about to reach out my hand against the Philistines. I will wipe out the Kerethites. I will destroy those who remain along the coast. 17 You can be sure that I will pay them back. I will punish them because my anger against them is great. When I pay them back, they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26 It was the first day of the 11th month. It was the 12th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, Tyre laughed because of what happened to Jerusalem. The people of Tyre said, ‘Jerusalem is the gateway to the nations. But the gate is broken. Its doors have swung open to us. Jerusalem has been destroyed. So now we will succeed.’ ” 3 The Lord and King says, “But I am against you, Tyre. I will bring many nations against you. They will come in like the waves of the sea. 4 They will destroy your walls. They will pull down your towers. I will clear away the stones of your broken-down buildings. I will turn you into nothing but a bare rock. 5 Out in the Mediterranean Sea your island city will become a place to spread fishnets. I have spoken,” announces the Lord and King. “The nations will take you and everything you have. 6 Your settlements on the coast will be destroyed by war. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
7 The Lord and King says, “From the north I am going to bring Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre. He is the king of Babylon. He is the greatest king of all. He will come with horses and chariots. Horsemen and a great army will be brought along with him. 8 He will go to war against you. He will destroy your settlements on the coast. He will bring in war machines to attack you. A ramp will be built up to your walls. He will raise his shields against you. 9 He will use huge logs to knock down your walls. He will destroy your towers with his weapons. 10 He will have so many horses that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will shake because of the noise of his war horses, wagons and chariots. He will enter your gates, just as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves of his horses will pound in your streets. His swords will kill your people. Your strong pillars will fall to the ground. 12 His men will take away from you your wealth and anything else you have. They will pull down your walls. They will completely destroy your fine houses. They will throw the stones and lumber of your broken-down buildings into the sea. 13 I will put an end to your noisy songs. No one will hear the music of your harps anymore. 14 I will turn you into nothing but a bare rock. You will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt. I have spoken. I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.
15 The Lord and King speaks to Tyre. He says, “The lands along the coast will shake because of the sound of your fall. Wounded people will groan because so many are dying there. 16 Then all the princes along the coast will step down from their thrones. They will put their robes away. They will take off their beautiful clothes. They will sit on the ground. They will put on terror as if it were their clothes. They will tremble with fear all the time. They will be shocked because of what has happened to you. 17 Then they will sing a song of sadness about you. They will say to you,
“ ‘Famous city, you have been completely destroyed!
You were filled with sea traders.
You and your citizens
were a mighty power on the seas.
You terrified everyone
who lived in you.
18 The lands along the coast trembled with fear
when you fell.
The islands in the sea
were terrified when you were destroyed.’ ”
19 The Lord and King says to Tyre, “I will turn you into an empty city. You will be like cities where no one lives anymore. I will cause the ocean to sweep over you. Its mighty waters will cover you. 20 So I will bring you down together with those who go down into the grave. The people there lived long ago. You will have to live in the earth below. It will be like living in buildings that were destroyed many years ago. You will go down into the grave along with others. And you will never come back. You will not take your place in this world again. 21 I will bring you to a horrible end. You will be gone forever. People will look for you. But they will never find you,” announces the Lord and King.
2 So get rid of every kind of evil, and stop telling lies. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Stop wanting what others have, and don’t speak against one another. 2 Like newborn babies, you should long for the pure milk of God’s word. It will help you grow up as believers. 3 You can do this now that you have tasted how good the Lord is.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 Christ is the living Stone. People did not accept him, but God chose him. God places the highest value on him. 5 You also are like living stones. As you come to Christ, you are being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests. You will offer spiritual sacrifices. God will accept them because of what Jesus Christ has done. 6 In Scripture it says,
“Look! I am placing a stone in Zion.
It is a chosen and very valuable stone.
It is the most important stone in the building.
The one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16)
7 This stone is very valuable to you who believe. But to people who do not believe,
“The stone the builders did not accept
has become the most important stone of all.” (Psalm 118:22)
8 And,
“It is a stone that causes people to trip.
It is a rock that makes them fall.” (Isaiah 8:14)
They trip and fall because they do not obey the message. That is also what God planned for them.
9 But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are God’s special treasure. You are all these things so that you can give him praise. God brought you out of darkness into his wonderful 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.
Living Godly Lives Among People Who Don’t Believe
11 Dear friends, you are outsiders and those who wander in this world. So I’m asking you not to give in to your sinful desires. They fight against your soul. 12 People who don’t believe might say you are doing wrong. But lead good lives among them. Then they will see your good deeds. And they will give glory to God on the day he comes to judge.
13 Follow the lead of every human authority. Do this for the Lord’s sake. Obey the emperor. He is the highest authority. 14 Obey the governors. The emperor sends them to punish those who do wrong. He also sends them to praise those who do right. 15 By doing good you will put a stop to the talk of foolish people. They don’t know what they are saying. 16 Live as free people. But don’t use your freedom to cover up evil. Live as people who are God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone. Love the family of believers. Have respect for God. Honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, obey your masters out of deep respect for God. Obey not only those who are good and kind. Obey also those who are not kind. 19 Suppose a person suffers pain unfairly because they want to obey God. This is worthy of praise. 20 But suppose you receive a beating for doing wrong, and you put up with it. Will anyone honor you for this? Of course not. But suppose you suffer for doing good, and you put up with it. God will praise you for this. 21 You were chosen to do good even if you suffer. That’s because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example that he expects you to follow. 22 Scripture says,
“He didn’t commit any sin.
No lies ever came out of his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)
23 People shouted at him and made fun of him. But he didn’t do the same thing back to them. When he suffered, he didn’t say he would make them suffer. Instead, he trusted in the God who judges fairly. 24 “He himself carried our sins” in his body on the cross. (Isaiah 53:5) He did it so that we would die as far as sins are concerned. Then we would lead godly lives. “His wounds have healed you.” (Isaiah 53:5) 25 “You were like sheep wandering away.” (Isaiah 53:6) But now you have returned to the Shepherd. He is the one who watches over your souls.
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