1
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Then the Spirit picked me up and took me to the gate of the Temple that faces east. There were twenty-five men standing at the gate. I recognized the leaders, Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah. |
2
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GOD said, "Son of man, these are the men who draw up blueprints for sin, who think up new programs for evil in this city. |
3
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They say, 'We can make anything happen here. We're the best. We're the choice pieces of meat in the soup pot.' |
4
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"Oppose them, son of man. Preach against them." |
5
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Then the Spirit of GOD came upon me and told me what to say: "This is what GOD says: 'That's a fine public speech, Israel, but I know what you are thinking. |
6
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You've murdered a lot of people in this city. The streets are piled high with corpses.' |
7
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"Therefore this is what GOD, the Master, says: 'The corpses that you've piled in the streets are the meat and this city is the soup pot, and you're not even in the pot! I'm throwing you out! |
8
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You fear war, but war is what you're going to get. I'm bringing war against you. |
9
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I'm throwing you out of this city, giving you over to foreigners, and punishing you good. |
10
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You'll be killed in battle. I'll carry out judgment on you at the borders of Israel. Then you'll realize that I am GOD. |
11
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This city will not be your soup pot and you won't be the choice pieces of meat in it either. Hardly. I will carry out judgment on you at the borders of Israel |
12
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and you'll realize that I am GOD, for you haven't followed my statutes and ordinances. Instead of following my ways, you've sunk to the level of the laws of the nations around you.'" |
13
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Even while I was preaching, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. I fell down, face to the ground, and prayed loudly, "O Master, GOD! Will you completely wipe out what's left of Israel?" |
14
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The answer from GOD came back: |
15
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"Son of man, your brothers--I mean the whole people of Israel who are in exile with you--are the people of whom the citizens of Jerusalem are saying, 'They're in the far country, far from GOD. This land has been given to us to own.' |
16
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"Well, tell them this: 'This is your Message from GOD, the Master. True, I sent you to the far country and scattered you through other lands. All the same, I've provided you a temporary sanctuary in the countries where you've gone. |
17
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I will gather you back from those countries and lands where you've been scattered and give you back the land of Israel. |
18
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You'll come back and clean house, throw out all the rotten images and obscene idols. |
19
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I'll give you a new heart. I'll put a new spirit in you. I'll cut out your stone heart and replace it with a red-blooded, firm-muscled heart. |
20
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Then you'll obey my statutes and be careful to obey my commands. You'll be my people! I'll be your God! |
21
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"'But not those who are self-willed and addicted to their rotten images and obscene idols! I'll see that they're paid in full for what they've done.' Decree of GOD, the Master." |
22
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Then the cherubim spread their wings, with the wheels beside them and the Glory of the God of Israel hovering over them. |
23
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The Glory of GOD ascended from within the city and rested on the mountain to the east of the city. |
24
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Then, still in the vision given me by the Spirit of God, the Spirit took me and carried me back to the exiles in Babylon. And then the vision left me. |
25
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I told the exiles everything that GOD had shown me. |
Ezekiel 11:1 English Language Bible Words basic statistical display
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