| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then some men from Israel's elders came to me and sat down in front of me. | 1Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me. |
| 2The word of the LORD came to me: | 2And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 3"Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me? | 3“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way? |
| 4Therefore speak to them and say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: When any one from the house of Israel erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet, I the LORD am determined to answer him personally according to the enormity of his idolatry. | 4Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry, |
| 5I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.' | 5so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’ |
| 6"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Return! Turn from your idols, and turn your faces away from your abominations. | 6Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations. |
| 7For when anyone from the house of Israel, or the foreigner who lives in Israel, separates himself from me and erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet to seek something from me, I the LORD am determined to answer him personally. | 7For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself. |
| 8I will set my face against that person and will make him an object lesson and a byword and will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. | 8I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. |
| 9"'As for the prophet, if he is made a fool by being deceived into speaking a prophetic word--I, the LORD, have made a fool of that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. | 9But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. |
| 10They will bear their punishment; the punishment of the one who sought an oracle will be the same as the punishment of the prophet who gave it | 10They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet— |
| 11so that the house of Israel will no longer go astray from me, nor continue to defile themselves by all their sins. They will be my people and I will be their God, declares the sovereign LORD.'" | 11in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’ ” |
| 12The word of the LORD came to me: | 12And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 13"Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful, and I stretch out my hand against it, cut off its bread supply, cause famine to come on it, and kill both people and animals. | 13“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast, |
| 14Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign LORD. | 14then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD. |
| 15"Suppose I were to send wild animals through the land and kill its children, leaving it desolate, without travelers due to the wild animals. | 15Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts, |
| 16Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, they could not save their own sons or daughters; they would save only their own lives, and the land would become desolate. | 16then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate. |
| 17"Or suppose I were to bring a sword against that land and say, 'Let a sword pass through the land,' and I were to kill both people and animals. | 17Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast, |
| 18Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, they could not save their own sons or daughters--they would save only their own lives. | 18then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered. |
| 19"Or suppose I were to send a plague into that land, and pour out my rage on it with bloodshed, killing both people and animals. | 19Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast, |
| 20Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness. | 20then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves. |
| 21"For this is what the sovereign LORD says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments--sword, famine, wild animals, and plague--to Jerusalem to kill both people and animals! | 21For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast? |
| 22Yet some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their behavior and their deeds, you will be consoled about the catastrophe I have brought on Jerusalem--for everything I brought on it. | 22Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it—sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem—all that I have brought upon it. |
| 23They will console you when you see their behavior and their deeds, because you will know that it was not without reason that I have done everything which I have done in it, declares the sovereign LORD." | 23They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.” |
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