| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me. | 1Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me, |
| 2And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 2this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 3“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way? | 3“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? |
| 4Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry, | 4Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the LORD, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. |
| 5so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’ | 5I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’ |
| 6Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations. | 6“Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins. |
| 7For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself. | 7I, the LORD, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. |
| 8I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. | 8I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. |
| 9But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. | 9“‘And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel. |
| 10They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet— | 10False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins. |
| 11in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’ ” | 11In this way, the people of Israel will learn not to stray from me, polluting themselves with sin. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!’” The Certainty of the LORD’s Judgment |
| 12And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 12Then this message came to me from the LORD: |
| 13“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast, | 13“Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals. |
| 14then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD. | 14Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign LORD. |
| 15Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts, | 15“Or suppose I were to send wild animals to invade the country, kill the people, and make the land too desolate and dangerous to pass through. |
| 16then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate. | 16As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be made desolate. |
| 17Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast, | 17“Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I sent enemy armies to destroy both people and animals. |
| 18then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered. | 18As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. |
| 19Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast, | 19“Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic into the land, and the disease killed people and animals alike. |
| 20then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves. | 20As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness. |
| 21For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast? | 21“Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem—war, famine, wild animals, and disease—destroying all her people and animals. |
| 22Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it—sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem—all that I have brought upon it. | 22Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem. |
| 23They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.” | 23When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” |
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