Ezekiel 11:14-21

New International Reader's Version

The Lord Will Bring His People Back Home

¹⁴ A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, ¹⁵ “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have spoken about you. They have spoken about the others the Babylonians have taken away. They have also spoken about all the other people of Israel. The people of Jerusalem have said, ‘Those people are far away from the Lord. This land was given to us. And it belongs to us.’

¹⁶ “So tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “I sent some of my people far away among the nations. I scattered them among the countries. But for a little while I have been their temple in the countries where they have gone.” ’

¹⁷ “Tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “I will gather you from the nations. I will bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered. I will give you back the land of Israel.” ’

¹⁸ “They will return to it. They will remove all its statues of evil gods. I hate those gods. ¹⁹ I will give my people hearts that are completely committed to me. I will give them a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove their stubborn hearts from them. And I will give them hearts that obey me. ²⁰ Then they will follow my rules. They will be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people. And I will be their God. ²¹ But some people have hearts that are committed to worshiping the statues of their evil gods. I hate those gods. Anything that happens to those people will be their own fault,” announces the Lord and King.