Ezekiel 33

1 This message came to me from the LORD:ISV — Ezekiel 33:1

2 “Son of Man, speak to your nation’s children and tell them: ‘If I bring war ^{a33:2 Lit. bring a sword} to a land, and the people of that land appoint one of their conscripted men ^{b33:2 Or of the men from their border} to serve as a sentinel,ISV — Ezekiel 33:2

3 and if he notices that violence ^{c33:3 Lit. that a sword} is approaching and sounds an alarm to warn the people,ISV — Ezekiel 33:3

4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the alarm does not heed the warning, when the sword arrives and destroys him, his shed blood will remain his own responsibility. ^{d33:4 Lit. will be on him}ISV — Ezekiel 33:4

5 After all, he heard the alarm sounding, but did not heed the warning, so his shed blood will remain his own responsibility. ^{e33:5 Lit. will be on him} If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved himself. ^{f33:5 Lit. have rescued his soul}ISV — Ezekiel 33:5

6 If that sentinel notices that violence is approaching, but does not sound an alarm, then because the nation does not take warning and the sword arrives and destroys their lives because of their guilt, I’ll seek retribution for their shed blood from the ^{g33:6 Lit. from the hand of the; i.e. as if the sentinel were responsible for the death} one who was acting as sentinel.’”ISV — Ezekiel 33:6

7 “Now as for you, Son of Man, I’ve established you as a sentinel for the house of Israel. So whenever you hear a message from me, ^{h33:7 Lit. from my mouth} you are to warn the people ^{i33:7 Lit. warn them} from me.ISV — Ezekiel 33:7

8 If I should say to a certain wicked person, ‘You wicked man, you’re certainly about to die,’ but you don’t warn him to turn from his wicked behavior, ^{j33:8 Lit. ways} he’ll die in his guilt, but I’ll seek retribution for his bloodshed from you. ^{k33:8 Lit. from your hand; i.e. as if the sentinel were responsible for the death}ISV — Ezekiel 33:8

9 However, if you warn the wicked to turn from his behavior ^{l33:9 Lit. way} and he does not do so, he will die in his guilt, and you will have saved yourself.” ^{m33:9 Lit. have rescued your soul}ISV — Ezekiel 33:9

10 “‘Now, Son of Man, tell this to the house of Israel: ‘You keep saying, “Our crimes and sins burden us so much that we’re rotting away, so how can we keep on living?”’ISV — Ezekiel 33:10

11 “Tell them, ‘As certainly as I’m alive and living,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I receive no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Instead, my pleasure is that the wicked repent from their behavior ^{n33:11 Lit. way} and live. Turn back! Turn back, all of you, from your wicked behavior! Why do you have to die, you house of Israel?’”ISV — Ezekiel 33:11

12 “And now, Son of Man, say this to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous won’t save them when they keep on committing crimes against me, the wickedness of the wicked won’t keep them from remaining away ^{o33:12 Lit. from stumbling} when they’re turning from their wickedness, and no righteous person will keep on living by their righteousness when they sin.’ISV — Ezekiel 33:12

13 “If I tell the righteous person that he will certainly live, if he trusts in his own righteousness and commits evil, none of his righteousness will be remembered, and he will die because of the wrong that he commits.ISV — Ezekiel 33:13

14 “If I tell the wicked person that he will certainly die, if he turns from his sin and acts with justice and righteousness,ISV — Ezekiel 33:14

15 returning what has been placed as collateral for a loan, paying back what he has taken, following the regulations that promote life, and committing no iniquity, he will certainly live, and not die.ISV — Ezekiel 33:15

16 None of the sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. Since he did what is just and right, he will certainly live.ISV — Ezekiel 33:16

17 “Nevertheless, your people’s children keep saying, ‘Living life the Lord’s way ^{p33:17 Lit. saying, ‘The way of} isn’t right,’ when all the while it is their way of living ^{q33:17 The Heb. lacks of living} that isn’t right.ISV — Ezekiel 33:17

18 When a righteous man forsakes his own righteousness and commits evil acts, he will die because of those acts,ISV — Ezekiel 33:18

19 and when the wicked turn away from their wickedness and do what is just and right, he will certainly live because of that.ISV — Ezekiel 33:19

20 “And yet you keep saying, ‘Living life ^{r33:20 Lit. saying, ‘The way of} the Lord’s way isn’t right,’ But I will judge every one of you according to the way you live, you house of Israel!”ISV — Ezekiel 33:20

21 On the fifth day of the tenth month of the twelfth year of our captivity, a fugitive who had escaped from Jerusalem came and informed me, “The city has been destroyed.”ISV — Ezekiel 33:21

22 Now the hand of the LORD had been touching me the evening before that fugitive arrived, so the LORD had given me something to say by the time the messenger ^{s33:22 Lit. time he} arrived the next morning. He opened my mouth and I no longer had nothing to say to him. ^{t33:22 The Heb. lacks to him}ISV — Ezekiel 33:22

23 As a result, this message came to me from the LORD:ISV — Ezekiel 33:23

24 “Son of Man, those who are living among these ruins of the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, but he was able to possess the land! As for us, we’re a multitude, and the land has been given to us as an inheritance.’ISV — Ezekiel 33:24

25 So tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “You keep eating flesh along with its blood, you keep looking to your idols, and you keep shedding blood, and you’re going to take possession of the land?ISV — Ezekiel 33:25

26 You keep trusting in your weapons, you continue to commit loathsome deeds, men keep defiling their neighbors’ wives, and you’re going to take possession of the land?’ISV — Ezekiel 33:26

27 “Tell them this: ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “As certainly as I’m alive and living, those who live in the wastelands are certain to die violently, ^{u33:27 Lit. die by the sword} I’ll give those who die in the open fields to the wild animals for food, and whoever takes refuge in caves and fortified places will die of diseases.ISV — Ezekiel 33:27

28 Then I’ll turn the land into a desolate ruin and her arrogant strength will come to an abrupt end. The mountains of Israel will become so desolate that no one will be able to travel over them.”ISV — Ezekiel 33:28

29 ‘Then they’ll learn that I am the LORD, when I’ve turned their land into a desolate wasteland because of all of the loathsome deeds that they’ve committed.’”ISV — Ezekiel 33:29

30 “Now as for you, Son of Man, your nation’s children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, ‘Please come! Let’s go hear what the LORD has to say!’ISV — Ezekiel 33:30

31 Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words—and then they don’t do what you say— ^{v33:31 The Heb. lacks what you say} because they’re seeking only their own desires, ^{w33:31 Lit. because their lust is in their mouths} they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests.ISV — Ezekiel 33:31

32 As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They’ll listen to what you have to say, but they won’t put it into practice!ISV — Ezekiel 33:32

33 When all of this comes about—and you can be sure that it will!—they’ll learn that a prophet has been in their midst.”ISV — Ezekiel 33:33