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Vision of God’s Glory Departing from the Temple
10 Then I looked, and behold, in the [a](A)expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim something like a (B)sapphire stone, in appearance resembling a (C)throne, appeared above them. 2 And He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, “Enter between the (D)whirling wheels under the [b]cherubim and fill your hands with (E)coals of fire from between the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And he entered in my sight.
3 Now the cherubim were standing on the right side of the [c]temple when the man entered, and the cloud filled the (F)inner court. 4 Then the (G)glory of the Lord went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the (H)temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the (I)brightness of the glory of the Lord. 5 Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the (J)voice of [d]God Almighty when He speaks.
6 It came about when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” he entered and stood beside a wheel. 7 Then the cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some and put it into the hands of the one clothed in linen, who took it and went out. 8 The cherubim appeared to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings.
9 Then I looked, and behold, (K)four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the gleam of a [e](L)Tarshish stone. 10 As for their appearance, all four of them had the same likeness, as if one wheel were within another wheel. 11 When they moved, they went (M)in any of their four [f]directions without turning as they went; but they followed in the direction which [g]they faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their (N)whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings and the (O)wheels were full of eyes all around, the wheels belonging to all four of them. 13 The wheels were called in my hearing, the whirling wheels. 14 And (P)each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 Then the cherubim rose up. They are the (Q)living beings that I saw by the river Chebar. 16 Now when the cherubim moved, the wheels would go beside them; also when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels would not turn from beside them. 17 When [h]the cherubim (R)stood still, [i]the wheels would stand still; and when they rose up, [j]the wheels would rise with them, for the spirit of the living beings was in them.
18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood (S)over the cherubim. 19 When (T)the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel [k]hovered over them.
20 These are the (U)living beings that I saw beneath the God of Israel by (V)the river Chebar; so I knew that they were cherubim. 21 (W)Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and beneath their wings was the form of human hands. 22 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead.
Evil Rulers to Be Judged
11 Moreover, the (X)Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lord’s house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and (Y)Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. 2 He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and (Z)give evil advice in this city, 3 who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. [l]This (AA)city is the pot and we are the flesh.’ 4 Therefore, (AB)prophesy against them, son of man, prophesy!”
5 Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “So you think, house of Israel, for (AC)I know [m]your (AD)thoughts. 6 You have (AE)multiplied your slain in this city, filling its streets with [n]them.” 7 Therefore, thus says the Lord [o]God, “Your (AF)slain whom you have laid in the midst of [p]the city are the flesh and this city is the pot; but [q]I will (AG)bring you out of it. 8 You have (AH)feared a sword; so I will (AI)bring a sword upon you,” the Lord God declares. 9 “And I will bring you out of the midst of [r]the city and deliver you into the hands of (AJ)strangers and (AK)execute judgments against you. 10 You will (AL)fall by the sword. I will judge you to the (AM)border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will (AN)not be a pot for you, nor will you be flesh in the midst of it, but I will judge you to the border of Israel. 12 Thus you will know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you (AO)executed My ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the (AP)nations around you.”’”
13 Now it came about as I prophesied, that (AQ)Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “(AR)Alas, Lord God! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”
Promise of Restoration
14 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 15 “Son of man, your brothers, your [s]relatives, [t]your fellow exiles and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far from the Lord; this land has been given (AS)us as a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a (AT)sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’ 17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “I will (AU)gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ 18 When they come there, they will (AV)remove all its (AW)detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19 And I will (AX)give them one heart, and put a new spirit within [u]them. And I will take the (AY)heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a (AZ)heart of flesh, 20 that they may (BA)walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be (BB)My people, and I shall be their God. 21 [v]But as for those whose hearts go after their (BC)detestable things and abominations, I will (BD)bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord God.
22 Then the cherubim (BE)lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and (BF)the glory of the God of Israel [w]hovered over them. 23 The (BG)glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and (BH)stood over the mountain which is east of the city. 24 And the (BI)Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles [x]in Chaldea. So the vision that I had seen [y](BJ)left me. 25 Then I (BK)told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.
The Peril of Falling Away
6 Therefore (A)leaving (B)the [a]elementary teaching about the [b]Christ, let us press on to [c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from (D)dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of (E)instruction about washings and (F)laying on of hands, and the (G)resurrection of the dead and (H)eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, (I)if God permits. 4 For in the case of those who have once been (J)enlightened and have tasted of (K)the heavenly gift and have been made (L)partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and (M)have tasted the good (N)word of God and the powers of (O)the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is (P)impossible to renew them again to repentance, [d](Q)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often [e]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those (R)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and (S)close [f]to being cursed, and [g]it ends up being burned.
Better Things for You
9 But, (T)beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that [h]accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. 10 For (U)God is not unjust so as to forget (V)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having (W)ministered and in still ministering to the [i]saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence [j]so as to realize the (X)full assurance of (Y)hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but (Z)imitators of those who through (AA)faith and patience (AB)inherit the promises.
13 For (AC)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He (AD)swore by Himself, 14 saying, “(AE)I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” 15 And so, (AF)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 16 (AG)For men swear by [k]one greater than themselves, and with them (AH)an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 17 [l]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to (AI)the heirs of the promise (AJ)the unchangeableness of His purpose, [m]interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which (AK)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have [n]taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of (AL)the hope set before us. 19 [o]This (AM)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which (AN)enters [p]within the veil, 20 (AO)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a (AP)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
16 And He (A)called for a famine upon the land;
He (B)broke the whole staff of bread.
17 He (C)sent a man before them,
Joseph, who was (D)sold as a slave.
18 They afflicted his (E)feet with fetters,
[a]He himself was laid in irons;
19 Until the time that his (F)word came to pass,
The word of the Lord [b](G)tested him.
20 The (H)king sent and released him,
The ruler of peoples, and set him free.
21 He (I)made him lord of his house
And ruler over all his possessions,
22 To [c]imprison his princes [d](J)at will,
That he might teach his elders wisdom.
23 (K)Israel also came into Egypt;
Thus Jacob (L)sojourned in the land of Ham.
24 And He (M)caused His people to be very fruitful,
And made them stronger than their adversaries.
25 He (N)turned their heart to hate His people,
To (O)deal craftily with His servants.
26 He (P)sent Moses His servant,
And (Q)Aaron, whom He had chosen.
27 They [e](R)performed His wondrous acts among them,
And miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He (S)sent darkness and made it dark;
And they did not (T)rebel against His words.
29 He (U)turned their waters into blood
And caused their fish to die.
30 Their land swarmed with (V)frogs
Even in the (W)chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke, and there came a (X)swarm of flies
And (Y)gnats in all their territory.
32 He [f]gave them (Z)hail for rain,
And flaming fire in their land.
33 He (AA)struck down their vines also and their fig trees,
And shattered the trees of their territory.
34 He spoke, and (AB)locusts came,
And young locusts, even without number,
35 And ate up all vegetation in their land,
And ate up the fruit of their ground.
36 He also (AC)struck down all the firstborn in their land,
The (AD)first fruits of all their vigor.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.