New Living Translation

English Standard Version

1On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

1In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity.

2On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin),

3(The LORD gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the LORD take hold of him.)

3the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.

4As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.

4As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.

5From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human,

5And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness,

6except that each had four faces and four wings.

6but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.

7Their legs were straight, and their feet had hooves like those of a calf and shone like burnished bronze.

7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze.

8Under each of their four wings I could see human hands. So each of the four beings had four faces and four wings.

8Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus:

9The wings of each living being touched the wings of the beings beside it. Each one moved straight forward in any direction without turning around.

9their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went.

10Each had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back.

10As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle.

11Each had two pairs of outstretched wings—one pair stretched out to touch the wings of the living beings on either side of it, and the other pair covered its body.

11Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.

12They went in whatever direction the spirit chose, and they moved straight forward in any direction without turning around.

12And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went.

13The living beings looked like bright coals of fire or brilliant torches, and lightning seemed to flash back and forth among them.

13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14And the living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning.

14And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15As I looked at these beings, I saw four wheels touching the ground beside them, one wheel belonging to each.

15Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.

16The wheels sparkled as if made of beryl. All four wheels looked alike and were made the same; each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it.

16As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel.

17The beings could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved.

17When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went.

18The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around.

18And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.

19When the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. When they flew upward, the wheels went up, too.

19And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.

20The spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. So wherever the spirit went, the wheels and the living beings also went.

20Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

21When the beings moved, the wheels moved. When the beings stopped, the wheels stopped. When the beings flew upward, the wheels rose up, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

21When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal.

22Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads.

23Beneath this surface the wings of each living being stretched out to touch the others’ wings, and each had two wings covering its body.

23And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body.

24As they flew, their wings sounded to me like waves crashing against the shore or like the voice of the Almighty or like the shouting of a mighty army. When they stopped, they let down their wings.

24And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

25As they stood with wings lowered, a voice spoke from beyond the crystal surface above them.

25And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.

26Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man.

26And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance.

27From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor.

27And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.

28All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the LORD looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.

28Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.