Old/New Testament
The Pot and the Meat
24 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me in the ninth year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month [C January 15, 588 bc]. He said: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], write down ·today’s date [L the name of this day], this very ·date [L day]. The king of Babylon has ·surrounded [laid siege to] Jerusalem this very day. 3 And tell a ·story [parable] to the ·people who refuse to obey me [L rebellious house]. Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says:
Put on the pot; put it on
and pour water in it.
4 Put in the pieces of meat,
the best pieces—the ·legs [thighs] and the shoulders.
Fill it with the best bones.
5 Take the best of the flock,
and pile ·wood [or bones] under the pot.
Boil the pieces of meat
until even the bones are cooked.
6 “‘This is what the Lord God says:
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the city of ·murderers [L blood]!
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the ·rusty [corroded; rotted] pot
whose ·rust [corrosion; rot] will not come off!
Take the meat out of it, piece by piece.
·Don’t choose any special piece [or Don’t cast lots for any of it].
7 “‘The blood ·from her killings [L she shed] is still in ·the city [her midst].
She poured the blood on the bare rock.
She did not pour it on the ground
where dust would cover it.
8 To stir up my ·anger [wrath] and ·revenge [vengeance],
I put ·the blood she spilled [L her blood] on the bare rock
so it will not be covered.
9 “‘So this is what the Lord God says:
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the city of ·murderers [L blood]!
I myself will pile the wood high [C for burning].
10 Pile up the wood
and ·light [kindle] the fire.
Cook the meat well.
·Mix in the spices [or Pour out all the broth],
and let the bones burn.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
so it may become hot and its copper sides glow.
·The dirty scum stuck inside it [So that its impurities/uncleanness] may then melt
and its ·rust [corrosion; rot] burn away.
12 ·But efforts to clean the pot have failed [L It has wearied itself with toil].
Its heavy ·rust [corrosion; rot] cannot be removed,
·even in the fire [or Into the fire with its rust/corrosion!].
13 “‘By your ·sinful action [lewdness; obscenity] you have become ·unclean [defiled; C ritually]]. I wanted to cleanse you, but you are still unclean. You will never be cleansed from your sin until my ·anger [wrath] against you is ·carried out [satisfied; exhausted].
14 “‘I, the Lord, have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not ·hold back punishment [relent] or feel pity or ·change my mind [or be sorry]. I will judge you by your ways and actions, says the Lord God.’”
The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife
15 Then the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 16 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], I am going to take ·your wife from you, the woman you look at with love [L the delight of your eyes]. ·She will die suddenly […with a stroke/blow/jolt], but you must not ·be sad [lament] or ·cry loudly [weep] for her or shed any tears. 17 Groan silently; do not ·cry loudly [mourn] for the dead. ·Tie [Wrap; Bind] on your turban [C normally taken off for mourning], and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your ·face [lower face; or mustache], and do not eat the ·food people eat when they are sad about a death [or food brought by others; L bread of men].”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.
19 Then the people asked me, “·Tell [L Won’t you tell…?] us, what do the things you are doing mean for us?”
20 Then I said to them, “The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me. He said, 21 ‘Say to the ·people [L house] of Israel, This is what the Lord God says: I am going to ·dishonor [desecrate; profane; C ritually] my ·Temple [sanctuary]. ·You are proud of the strength it gives you [L …the pride of your power] and ·you look at it with love and tenderness [L …the delight of your eyes and the desire of your soul]. But your sons and daughters that you left behind in Jerusalem will fall dead by the sword. 22 When that happens, you will act as I have: you will not cover your ·face [lower face; or mustache], and you will not eat the ·food people eat when they are sad about a death [or food brought by others; L bread of men]. 23 Your turbans will stay on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You will not ·cry loudly [mourn or weep], but you will rot away ·in your sins [or because of your sins/iniquities] and groan to each other. 24 So Ezekiel is to be an ·example [sign; object lesson] for you. You will do all the same things he did. When all this happens, you will know that I am the Lord God.’
25 “And as for you, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], this is how it will be. I will take away ·the Temple that gives them strength and joy, that makes them proud [L their stronghold, their joy, and glory]. ·They look at it with love, and it makes them happy [L …the delight of their eyes and the desire of their soul; v. 21]. And I will take away their sons and daughters also. 26 ·At that time [L On that day] a ·person who escapes [fugitive] will come to you with information for you to hear. 27 ·At that time [L On that day] your mouth will be opened. You will speak and be silent no more. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Prophecy Against Ammon
25 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], ·look [L set your face] toward the people of Ammon and prophesy against them. 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God. This is what the Lord God says: You ·were glad [L said, “Aha!”] when my ·Temple [sanctuary] was ·dishonored [defiled; profaned; C ritually], when the land of Israel was ·ruined [made desolate], and when the ·people [L house] of Judah ·were taken away as captives [went into exile]. 4 So [L Look; T Behold] I am going to give you to the people of the East ·to be theirs [L as a possession]. They will set up their camps among you and make their ·homes [dwelling places] among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will make the city of Rabbah a pasture for camels and the land of Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6 For this is what the Lord God says: You have clapped your hands and stamped your feet; you have ·laughed about all the insults you made [L rejoiced with the scorn/malice of your soul] against the land of Israel. 7 So I will ·use my power [L stretch out my hand] against you. I will give you to the nations as ·if you were treasures taken in war [plunder]. I will cut you off from the ·nations [peoples] and wipe you out of the ·countries [lands], and I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’
Prophecy Against Moab and Edom
8 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Moab and ·Edom [L Seir] say, “[L Look; T Behold] The ·people [L house] of Judah are like all the other nations.” 9 So I am going to ·take away the cities that protect Moab’s borders [open up Moab’s flank, starting with its frontier towns], the ·best cities in [L glory of] that land: Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim. 10 Then I will give Moab, along with the Ammonites, to the people of the East as their possession. Then, along with the Ammonites, Moab will not be a nation anymore. 11 So I will ·punish [execute judgments upon] the people of Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord.’
Prophecy Against Edom
12 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Edom took ·revenge [vengeance] on the ·people [L house] of Judah, and the Edomites became guilty because of it. 13 So this is what the Lord God says: I will ·use my power [L stretch out my hand] against Edom, killing every human and animal in it. And I will ·destroy [lay waste; make desolate] Edom all the way from Teman [C district in central Edom] to Dedan [C territory in southern Edom] as they ·die in battle [L fall by the sword]. 14 I will use my people Israel to take revenge on Edom. ·So the Israelites will do to Edom what my hot anger demands [L …according to my anger and according to my wrath]. Then the Edomites will know what my ·revenge [vengeance] feels like, says the Lord God.’
Prophecy Against Philistia
15 “This is what the Lord God says: ‘The Philistines have taken revenge with ·hateful hearts [malice in their souls]. Because of their ·strong [or ancient; or never-ending] hatred, they have tried to destroy Judah. 16 So this is what the Lord God says: [L Look; T Behold] I will ·use my power [L stretch out my hand] against the Philistines. I will ·kill [cut off] the Kerethites, and I will destroy those people still alive on the ·coast of the Mediterranean Sea [seacoast]. 17 I will do great acts of ·revenge [vengeance] to them and punish them in my anger. They will know that I am the Lord when I take ·revenge [vengeance] on them.’”
Prophecy Against Tyre
26 It was the eleventh year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2); 586 bc], on the first day of the month. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], the city of Tyre has spoken against Jerusalem: ‘The ·city that traded with [L gate of] the nations is ·destroyed [broken]. ·Now we can be the trading center [L Its doors have swung open to me]. Since ·the city of Jerusalem [L it] is ruined, ·we can make money [L I will be filled].’ 3 So this is what the Lord God says: [L Look; T Behold] I am against you, Tyre. I will bring many nations against you, like the sea ·beating its waves on your island shores [L brings up its waves]. 4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers. I will also scrape away her ·ruins [rubble; soil] and make her a bare rock. 5 Tyre will be ·an island [L in the midst of the sea] where fishermen dry their nets. I have spoken, says the Lord God. ·The nations will steal treasures from Tyre [L She will become plunder for the nations]. 6 Also, her ·villages [settlements; L daughters] on the ·shore [mainland] across from the island will be ·destroyed by war [L slaughtered by the sword]. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
Nebuchadnezzar to Attack Tyre
7 “This is what the Lord God says: [L Look; T Behold] I will bring a king from the north against Tyre. He is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, ·the greatest king [L king of kings], with his horses, chariots, horsemen, and a great army. 8 He will destroy your ·villages [settlements; L daughters] on the ·shore across from the island [mainland]. He will set up ·devices to attack you [siege works]. He will build a ·road of earth to the top of the walls [siege ramp]. He will raise his shields against you. 9 He will ·bring logs to pound through [direct blows of battering rams against] your city walls, and he will break down your towers with his ·iron bars [or hammers; L swords]. 10 His horses will be so many that they will cover you with their dust. Your walls will shake at the noise of horsemen, wagons, and chariots. The king of Babylon will enter your city gates as men enter a city where the walls are broken through. 11 The hoofs of his horses will ·run over [trample] your streets. He will kill your ·army [or people] with the sword, and your strong pillars will fall down to the ground. 12 Also, his men will ·take away [plunder] your riches and will ·steal [loot] ·the things you sell [your merchandise]. They will break down your walls and destroy your ·nice [pleasant; luxurious] houses. They will throw your stones, ·wood [timber; trees], and ·trash [rubble; or soil] into the sea. 13 So I will stop your songs; the music of your ·harps [lyres] will not be heard anymore. 14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will be a place for ·drying [spreading] fishing nets. You will not be built again, because I, the Lord, have spoken, says the Lord God.
15 “This is what the Lord God says to Tyre: ·The people who live along the seacoast will [L Won’t the coastlands…?] ·shake with fear [tremble] ·when they hear about your defeat [or at the sound of your fall]. ·The injured will [L …when the wounded] groan as the ·killing [slaughter] takes place in you. 16 Then all the ·leaders [princes] of the ·seacoast [L sea] will get down from their thrones, take off their ·beautiful needlework [embroidered] clothes, and ·show how afraid they are [L clothe themselves with trembling]. They will sit on the ground and tremble ·all the time [continuously], ·shocked [appalled; aghast] when they see you. 17 They will begin singing a ·funeral song [lament; dirge] about you and will say to you:
‘Famous city [C Tyre was a great maritime power], you have been destroyed!
You have lost your sea power!
You and your ·people [inhabitants]
had great power on the seas.
You made everyone around you
afraid of you.
18 Now the ·people who live by the coast [coastlands will] tremble,
·now that [L on the day] you have fallen.
The ·islands [or coastlands] of the sea
are ·afraid [terrified; dismayed] ·because you have been defeated [at your demise/passing].’
19 “This is what the Lord God says: I will make you ·an empty city [desolate; a ruin], like cities that ·have no people living in them [are uninhabited/deserted]. I will bring the ·deep ocean waters [L deep] over you, and the ·Mediterranean Sea [L great waters] will cover you. 20 At that time I will send you down to the ·place of the dead [pit] to ·join those who died long ago [the people of old/antiquity]. I will make you live with the dead ·below the earth [in the underworld] ·in places that are like old ruins [among ancient ruins]. You will not ·come back from there [or be inhabited] or have any place in the ·world [land] of the living again. 21 ·Other people will be afraid of what happened to you [or I will bring you to a terrible end], and it will be the end of you. People will look for you, but they will never find you again, says the Lord God.”
Jesus Is the Living Stone
2 So then, rid yourselves of all evil, all ·lying [deceit], hypocrisy, ·jealousy [envy], and ·evil speech [slander; C all traits that destroy relationships; Rom. 13:13; Eph. 4:25–32; Col. 3:8]. 2 As newborn babies want milk, you should want the ·pure [sincere; unadulterated] and ·simple [or spiritual] ·teaching [L milk; C probably referring to the word of God; see 1:23–25]. By it you can ·mature [grow; reach maturity] in your salvation, 3 because you have already ·examined and seen [L tasted] how good the Lord is [Ps. 34:8].
4 Come to the Lord Jesus, the ·“stone” that lives [L a living stone; C Jesus is the most important stone in the spiritual temple described in v. 5]. ·The people of the world did not want this stone, but he was the stone God chose, and he was precious [L …rejected by people, but chosen and precious/valuable to God]. 5 You also are like living stones, so let yourselves be used to build a spiritual ·temple [house]—to be holy priests who offer spiritual sacrifices that are ·acceptable [pleasing] to God ·through [or because they are mediated by] Jesus Christ. 6 The Scripture ·says [L contains]:
“[L See; Look,] I will ·put a stone in the ground in Jerusalem [L lay a stone in Zion; C Zion is a poetic term for Jerusalem].
·Everything will be built on this important and precious rock [L a chosen and precious cornerstone; C the stone that supports the others].
Anyone who ·trusts [believes; has faith] in him
will never be ·disappointed [L put to shame; Is. 28:16].”
7 ·This stone is worth much to you who believe [or You who believe see the honor/value/preciousness of the stone; L The honor is to you who believe]. But to the people who do not believe,
“the stone that the builders rejected
has become ·the cornerstone [L head of the corner; C the precise meaning is uncertain, but clearly refers to the most important stone in a building; Ps. 118:22; compare Mark 12:10–11; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20–22].”
8 ·Also, he is [L And]
“a stone that causes people to stumble,
a rock that ·makes them fall [trips them; snares them; causes them to sin; offends them; Is. 8:14; Rom. 9:32–33].”
They stumble because they do not obey ·what God says [the message/word], which is what God ·planned to happen to [destined/appointed for] them.
9 But you are a chosen ·people [or generation; Is. 43:21], royal ·priests [L priesthood], a holy nation, a people ·for God’s own possession [who belong to God; Ex. 19:5–6]. You were chosen to ·tell about the wonderful acts of God, who [proclaim the praises/virtues of him who] called you out of darkness into his ·wonderful [marvelous] light. 10 At one time you were not a people, but now you are God’s people. In the past you had ·never [L not] received mercy, but now you have received God’s mercy [Hos. 2:23].
Live for God
11 ·Dear friends [L Beloved], I ·beg [urge; exhort] you as ·foreigners [strangers; sojourners; resident aliens; 1:17] and ·strangers in this world [exiles; temporary residents; refugees; foreigners; 1:1; Gen. 23:4] to ·avoid [abstain from] the ·evil things your bodies want to do [L fleshly/worldly desires] that fight against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among unbelievers [L the Gentiles/pagans] that, even though they might ·say that you are doing wrong [slander you; accuse you of doing evil], they will see the good things you do and will give glory to God ·on the day when Christ comes again [when Christ comes to judge; L on the day of visitation].
Yield to Every Human Authority
13 For the Lord’s sake, ·yield [submit; be subject] to ·the people who have authority in this world [or every human institution/creation; Rom. 13:1–7; Titus 3:1]: the ·king [or emperor], who is the ·highest [supreme] authority, 14 and the ·leaders [governors] who are ·sent [commissioned] by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 [L For; Because] It is ·God’s desire [L the will of God] that by doing good you should ·stop foolish people from saying stupid things about you [L silence the ignorant talk of foolish people]. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an ·excuse [cover-up; pretext] to do evil. Live as ·servants [slaves] of God. 17 ·Show respect for [Honor] all people: Love the ·brothers and sisters of God’s family [community of believers; brotherhood], ·respect [fear] God [Prov. 1:7], honor the king [or emperor; Rom. 13:1].
Follow Christ’s Example
18 ·Slaves [Servants; C the term refers to household slaves], ·yield [submit; be subject; C put the other person’s interests first] to the authority of your masters with all ·respect [fear; deference; Eph. 6:5–9; Col. 3:22—4:1], not only those who are good and ·kind [gentle; considerate], but also those who are ·dishonest [or cruel; L crooked]. 19 A person might have to suffer even when it is ·unfair [unjust], but if ·through awareness of God [or because of his God-given conscience] he endures the ·pain [grief], ·God is pleased [or this is commendable; L this is favor/credit/grace]. 20 If you are beaten for ·doing wrong [sin], ·there is no reason to praise you [what credit/honor is that for you…?] for ·being patient in your punishment [enduring it]. But if you suffer for doing good, and you ·are patient [endure it], ·then God is pleased [this is commendable to God; L this is favor/credit/grace from God]. 21 [L For] This is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you ·and gave you [leaving you] an example to follow. So you should ·do as he did [L follow in his footsteps].
22 “He ·had never sinned [committed no sin],
and ·he had never lied [L no deceit was found in his mouth; Is. 53:9].”
23 People ·insulted [abused; reviled] Christ, but he did not ·insult [abuse; revile] them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. ·He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him [L He delivered/entrusted himself to the One who judges justly/rightly]. 24 Christ [L himself] ·carried [bore] our sins in his body on the ·cross [L tree; Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13] so we would ·stop living for [die to] sin and start living for ·what is right [righteousness]. And you are healed ·because of [by] his wounds. 25 [L For] You were like sheep that wandered away [Is. 53:6], but now you have come back to the Shepherd and ·Overseer [Guardian] of your souls.
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