Ezekiel 11

1 [Then God’s] Spirit lifted me up and took me to the gate on the east side of the temple area. There at the gate were 25 men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people.

Then the Spirit picked me up and took me to the eastern entrance of the Lord's Temple. Twenty-five men were gathered there at the entrance. I recognized among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.

2 Yahweh said to me, “You human, these are the [new leaders in Jerusalem] who are planning to do evil things and who are giving wicked advice [to people] in this city.

The Lord told me, “Son of man, it's these men who are making evil plans and giving bad advice to the people in this city.

3 They say, ‘[Everything will go well for us, so] it will surely soon be [RHQ] time to build houses. [We are like] [MET] fine/choice pieces of meat that are carefully stored in covered pots, and we are protected [from the bad things that will happen to others].’

They're saying, ‘Is this the time for us to be building houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat inside it.’

4 So, you human, prophesy [the terrible things that will happen to] them.”

So prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”

5 Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon me and told me to [to the people], “This is what Yahweh says: You Israeli people [MTY] are saying those things, but I know what you are thinking.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon me and told me to say: This is what the Lord says: “People of Israel, that's what you're saying! I know what you're thinking inside!

6 You have killed many people in this city and filled the streets with their corpses.

You murder more and more people in this city. You've filled its streets with the dead!

7 Therefore this is what Yahweh the Lord says: The corpses of the people whom you have killed here are [like] the meat [MET], and this city is [like] the pot [MET], but I will expel you from this city.

So this is what the Lord God says: Those you've killed in this city are the meat, and the city is the pot; but I'm going to take you out of it.

8 You are afraid [being killed by enemies’] swords, and that is what I will cause to happen to you.

You're afraid of being killed by the sword, so I will bring invaders with swords to attack you, declares the Lord God.

9 I will expel you from this city and enable foreigners to capture you and punish you.

I'm going to take you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners, and I'm going to carry out my sentence against you.

10 They will kill [EUP] you with their swords; you will be punished [right here] in Israel. Then people will realize that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].

You will be killed by the sword, and I will punish you right up to the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

11 This city will not be [a place were you will be protected like] [MET] meat in a covered pot. I will punish you wherever you are in Israel.

The city won't be like a pot for you, and you won't be the meat inside it either. I will punish you right up to the borders of Israel.

12 And you will know that I, Yahweh, [have predicted that would happen], because you have not obeyed my commands and decrees; instead, you have imitated [wicked] behavior [of the people] of the nearby nations.”

Then you will know that I am the Lord. For you didn't follow my rules and you didn't keep my laws. Instead you kept the laws of the nations around you.”

13 While I was prophesying that, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah [suddenly] died. Then I prostrated myself on the ground and cried out loudly, “Yahweh my Lord, are you going [similarly] get rid of all the Israeli people who are still alive?”

While I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. I fell facedown on the ground and shouted loudly, “Lord God, are you going to completely destroy what's left of the people of Israel?”

14 Then Yahweh gave me this message:

A message from Lord came to me, saying,

15 “You human, the people who are still in Jerusalem are talking about you and your own relatives and about all the other people who were (exiled/forced to go to other countries), saying, ‘They [in Babylonia], far from Yahweh. They have left their [here in Israel, so] their property now belongs to us!’”

“Son of man, your brothers, including your relatives, your fellow exiles, and all the other Israelites, are those the people of Jerusalem were referring to when they said, ‘They are far away from the Lord. This country was given to us and we are to own it.’

16 So tell [them], “This is what Yahweh the Lord says: Although I caused them to be taken far [from Israel] and scattered them among other nations, for a short time I will (be like a refuge for/protect) them in the countries to which they have been taken.”

So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Even though I sent them far away to live among the foreign nations, scattering them among the different countries, I have been taking care of them for a while in the countries where they went.

17 So also tell them, “This is what Yahweh the Lord says: [Some day] I will gather you from the [to which you have been taken] and bring you back to Israel, and you will live in your country/land [again].

Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: I'm going to gather you from the other nations and bring you back from the countries where you've been scattered, and I will return the country of Israel to you.

18 When you return to your country, you will get rid of all the vile statues of gods and detestable idols.

When they come back, they are going to get rid of all its offensive idols and disgusting practices from the country.

19 I will put a new way of thinking [IDM] within you. I will cause you to no longer be stubborn [IDM], and I will enable you to obey me completely [IDM].

I will give them single-minded commitment and a whole new spirit. I will take away their hard-hearted attitude and replace it with one that is loving.

20 When I do that, you will carefully obey all my laws [DOU]. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

This way they can follow my rules, keep my regulations, and do what I say. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But as for those who are devoted [worshiping] their vile statues and detestable idols, I will punish them as they deserve for the evil things that they have done.’”

But for those who still choose to worship offensive idols and engage in disgusting practices, I will let them experience the consequences of their own actions, declares the Lord God.”

22 Then the winged creatures, with their wheels beside them, spread their [and flew up into the air], and the dazzling brightness of Yahweh was above them.

Then the cherubim opened their wings and took off, with the wheels alongside them, and with the glory of the God of Israel above them.

23 That light went up away from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east of the city.

The glory of the Lord rose from inside the city and went over to the mountain to the east of the city.

24 In the vision [that I had been seeing, God’s] Spirit lifted me up and brought me [back] to the (exiles in/people who had been forced to go to) Babylonia. Then the vision ended,

In the vision given to me by the Spirit of God, the Spirit picked me up and carried me back to Babylonia to where the exiles were. After the vision left me,

25 and I told the exiles everything that Yahweh had shown [in the vision].

I explained to the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.