Ezekiel 44:9-14

GOD’S WORD Translation

⁹ So this is what the Almighty Lord says: Any godless foreigner who lives among the Israelites may not enter my holy place.

¹⁰ “ ‘Some Levites went far away from me when Israel wandered off to follow their idols. They must be punished for their sins. ¹¹ They could have served in my holy place. They could have guarded the gates of the temple. They could have served in the temple by slaughtering the animals for the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people. They could have stood in front of the people and served them. ¹² But they served the people by standing in front of their idols and by making Israel fall into sin. So I raised my hand and swore that they would be punished for their sins, declares the Lord. ¹³ They must not come near me and serve me as priests. They must not come near any of my holy things or my most holy things. They must suffer disgrace because of the disgusting things that they have done. ¹⁴ I will assign them all of the less important work in the temple.