Ezekiel 11 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Then the wind {\cf2\super [94]} carried me to the East Gate of the Lord’s temple. This gate faces the east, \{where the sun comes up\}. I saw 25 men there at the entrance of this gate. Jaazaniah son of Azzur was with those men. And Pelatiah son of Benaiah was there. Pelatiah was the leader of the people.

² Then \{God\} spoke to me. He said, “Son of man, {\cf2\super [95]} these are the men who make evil plans for this city. These men always tell the people to do bad things.

³ These men say, ‘We will be building our houses again very soon. \{We are as safe in this city as\} meat in a pot!’

⁴ \{They are telling these lies.\} So you must speak to the people for me. Son of man, go prophesy to the people.”

⁵ Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me. He said to me, “Tell them that the Lord said these things: House of Israel, you are planning big things. But I know what you are thinking!

⁶ You have killed many people in this city. You have filled the streets with dead bodies.

⁷ Now, the Lord our Master says these things, ‘Those dead bodies are the meat. And the city is the pot. But he (Nebuchadnezzar) will come and take you out of this safe pot!

⁸ You are afraid of the sword. But I am bringing the sword against you!’” The Lord our Master said these things. \{So they will happen!\}

⁹ \{God also said,\} “I will take you people out of this city. And I will give you to strangers. I will punish you!

¹⁰ You will die by the sword. I will punish you here in Israel, so you will know that \{I am the One punishing you\}. I am the Lord.

¹¹ Yes, this place will be the cooking pot. And you will be the meat cooking in it! I will punish you here in Israel.

¹² Then you will know that I am the Lord. It was my law that you broke! You did not obey my commands. You decided to live like the nations around you.”

¹³ As soon as I finished speaking for God, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died! I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face touching the ground and said, “Oh, Lord my Master, you are going to completely destroy all the survivors of Israel!”

¹⁴ But then the word of the Lord came to me. He said,

¹⁵ “Son of man, {\cf2\super [96]} remember your brothers, the family of Israel. They were forced to leave their country, but I will bring them back! {\cf2\super [97]} But now, the people living in Jerusalem are saying, ‘Stay far away from the Lord. This land was given to us—it is ours!’

¹⁶ “So tell those people these things: The Lord our Master says, ‘It is true, I forced my people to go far away to other nations. I did scatter them among many countries. But I will be their temple for a short time while they are in those other countries.

¹⁷ But you must tell those people that the Lord their Master will bring them back. I have scattered you among many nations. But I will gather you together and bring you back from those nations. I will give the land of Israel back to you!

¹⁸ And when my people come back, they will destroy all the terrible, filthy idols that are here now.

¹⁹ I will bring them together and make them like one person. I will put a new spirit {\cf2\super [98]} in them. I will take away that heart of stone, and I will put a real heart in its place.

²⁰ Then they will obey my laws. They will obey my commands. They will do the things I tell them. They will truly be my people, and I will be their God.’”

²¹ \{I mean,\} each animal had four faces, four wings, and something that looked like human arms under their wings.

²² The faces of the Cherub angels were the same as the four faces on the animals in the vision by the Kebar Canal. And they all looked straight ahead in the direction they were going.