Ezekiel 11

1 The Spirit lifted me and brought me to the east-facing front gate of the Lord’s house. At the gate’s entrance were about twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. 2 The Lord said to me, 2 “Son of man, these are the people who devise empty schemes and give harmful advice in this city.” 3 “Have the houses not been built recently? This city is the cauldron, and we are the flesh.” 4 “Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man.” 5 The Lord’s Spirit came on me and told me, 5 “Say this: ‘This is what the Lord says: House of Israel, this is what you have said, and I know the thoughts of your spirit.’” 6 “You have multiplied the dead in this city and filled its streets with those killed.” 7 “Therefore, this is what the Lord says: The dead you struck down in the city are the flesh, and the city is the cauldron. But I will bring you out of it.” 8 “You fear the sword, so I will bring a sword against you, says the Lord.” 9 “I will bring you out of the city, hand you over to strangers, and execute judgments among you.” 10 “You will fall by the sword. I will judge you at the borders of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord.” 11 “This city will not be your cauldron, and you will not be the flesh inside it. I will judge you at the borders of Israel.” 12 “Then you will know that I am the Lord.” [a] 13 While I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. I fell facedown and cried out loudly, 13 “Alas, Lord! Are you bringing Israel’s survivors to an end?” 14 The Lord’s word came to me. 15 “Son of man, your brothers, your fellow exiles, and the whole house of Israel have been brought to an end. Jerusalem’s residents told them, ‘Stay far from the Lord. This land has been given to us as an inheritance.’” 16 “Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will push them away among the nations and scatter them through every land, yet I will be a small sanctuary for them in the countries they enter.’” 17 “Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will gather them from the nations and lands where I scattered them, and I will give them the land of Israel.’” 18 “They will enter it and remove all its detestable things and lawless deeds.” 19 “I will give them another heart and put a new spirit within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” † 20 “Then they will walk in my decrees, keep my rules, and follow them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” 21 “But as for those whose hearts follow their detestable things and lawless deeds, I have brought their conduct back on their own heads, says the Lord.” 22 Then the cherubim lifted their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23 The Lord’s glory rose from the city and stood on the mountain facing the city. 24 In a vision from God’s Spirit, the Spirit lifted me and brought me to the exiles in the land of the Chaldeans. Then the vision I had seen left me. 25 I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.