Ezekiel 19:1-20:44

New International Version

A Lament Over Israel’s Princes

19 “Take up a lament^(A) concerning the princes^(B) of Israel ²and say:

“‘What a lioness^(C) was your mother
    among the lions!
She lay down among them
    and reared her cubs.^(D)
³She brought up one of her cubs,
    and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.
⁴The nations heard about him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks^(E)
    to the land of Egypt.^(F)

⁵“‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
    her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs^(G)
    and made him a strong lion.^(H)
⁶He prowled among the lions,
    for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.^(I)
⁷He broke down^[a] their strongholds
    and devastated^(J) their towns.
The land and all who were in it
    were terrified by his roaring.
⁸Then the nations^(K) came against him,
    those from regions round about.
They spread their net^(L) for him,
    and he was trapped in their pit.^(M)
⁹With hooks^(N) they pulled him into a cage
    and brought him to the king of Babylon.^(O)
They put him in prison,
    so his roar^(P) was heard no longer
    on the mountains of Israel.^(Q)

¹⁰“‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard^[b]^(R)
    planted by the water;^(S)
it was fruitful and full of branches
    because of abundant water.^(T)
¹¹Its branches were strong,
    fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high
    above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
    and for its many branches.^(U)
¹²But it was uprooted^(V) in fury
    and thrown to the ground.
The east wind^(W) made it shrivel,
    it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
    and fire consumed them.^(X)
¹³Now it is planted in the desert,^(Y)
    in a dry and thirsty land.^(Z)
¹⁴Fire spread from one of its main^[c] branches
    and consumed^(AA) its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
    fit for a ruler’s scepter.’^(AB)

“This is a lament^(AC) and is to be used as a lament.”

Rebellious Israel Purged

20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire^(AD) of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.^(AE)

²Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³“Son of man, speak to the elders^(AF) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire^(AG) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AH)’

⁴“Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors^(AI) ⁵and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose^(AJ) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand^(AK) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.^(AL)” ⁶On that day I swore^(AM) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(AN) the most beautiful of all lands.^(AO) ⁷And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images^(AP) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols^(AQ) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.^(AR)”

⁸“‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;^(AS) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.^(AT) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.^(AU) ⁹But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.^(AV) I did it to keep my name from being profaned^(AW) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. ¹⁰Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.^(AX) ¹¹I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.^(AY) ¹²Also I gave them my Sabbaths^(AZ) as a sign^(BA) between us,^(BB) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.^(BC)

¹³“‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(BD) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(BE)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(BF) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(BG) on them and destroy^(BH) them in the wilderness.^(BI) ¹⁴But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned^(BJ) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^(BK) ¹⁵Also with uplifted hand I swore^(BL) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands^(BM)— ¹⁶because they rejected my laws^(BN) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts^(BO) were devoted to their idols.^(BP) ¹⁷Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy^(BQ) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁸I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents^(BR) or keep their laws or defile yourselves^(BS) with their idols. ¹⁹I am the Lord your God;^(BT) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^(BU) ²⁰Keep my Sabbaths^(BV) holy, that they may be a sign^(BW) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.^(BX)”

²¹“‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,^(BY) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger^(BZ) against them in the wilderness.^(CA) ²²But I withheld^(CB) my hand, and for the sake of my name^(CC) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter^(CD) them through the countries, ²⁴because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees^(CE) and desecrated my Sabbaths,^(CF) and their eyes lusted after^(CG) their parents’ idols.^(CH) ²⁵So I gave^(CI) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;^(CJ) ²⁶I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice^(CK) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.^(CL)’

²⁷“Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors^(CM) blasphemed^(CN) me by being unfaithful to me:^(CO) ²⁸When I brought them into the land^(CP) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.^(CQ) ²⁹Then I said to them: What is this high place^(CR) you go to?’” (It is called Bamah^[d] to this day.)

Rebellious Israel Renewed

³⁰“Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves^(CS) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?^(CT) ³¹When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children^(CU) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.^(CV)

³²“‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. ³³As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm^(CW) and with outpoured wrath.^(CX) ³⁴I will bring you from the nations^(CY) and gather^(CZ) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand^(DA) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.^(DB) ³⁵I will bring you into the wilderness^(DC) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment^(DD) upon you. ³⁶As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(DE) ³⁷I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,^(DF) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.^(DG) ³⁸I will purge^(DH) you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(DI)

³⁹“‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols,^(DJ) every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name^(DK) with your gifts and idols.^(DL) ⁴⁰For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,^(DM) declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings^(DN) and your choice gifts,^[e] along with all your holy sacrifices.^(DO) ⁴¹I will accept you as fragrant incense^(DP) when I bring you out from the nations and gather^(DQ) you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy^(DR) through you in the sight of the nations.^(DS) ⁴²Then you will know that I am the Lord,^(DT) when I bring you into the land of Israel,^(DU) the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.^(DV) ⁴³There you will remember your conduct^(DW) and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves^(DX) for all the evil you have done.^(DY) ⁴⁴You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake^(DZ) and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(EA)’”

Footnotes

Ezekiel 19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew
Ezekiel 19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
Ezekiel 19:14 Or from under its
Ezekiel 20:29 Bamah means high place.
Ezekiel 20:40 Or and the gifts of your firstfruits

Hebrews 10:1-18

New International Version

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow^(A) of the good things^(B) that are coming—not the realities themselves.^(C) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect^(D) those who draw near to worship.^(E) ²Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.^(F) ³But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.^(G) ⁴It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats^(H) to take away sins.^(I)

⁵Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(J) he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;^(K)
⁶with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
⁷Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll^(L)—
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”^[a]^(M)

⁸First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”^(N)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. ⁹Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”^(O) He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰And by that will, we have been made holy^(P) through the sacrifice of the body^(Q) of Jesus Christ once for all.^(R)

¹¹Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,^(S) which can never take away sins.^(T) ¹²But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,^(U) he sat down at the right hand of God,^(V) ¹³and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.^(W) ¹⁴For by one sacrifice he has made perfect^(X) forever those who are being made holy.^(Y)

¹⁵The Holy Spirit also testifies^(Z) to us about this. First he says:

¹⁶“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”^[b]^(AA)

¹⁷Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”^[c]^(AB)

¹⁸And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)
Hebrews 10:16 Jer. 31:33
Hebrews 10:17 Jer. 31:34

Psalm 122

New International Version

Psalm 122

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
²Our feet are standing
in your gates, Jerusalem.

³Jerusalem is built like a city
    that is closely compacted together.
⁴That is where the tribes go up—
    the tribes of the Lord—
to praise the name of the Lord
    according to the statute given to Israel.
⁵There stand the thrones for judgment,
    the thrones of the house of David.

⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love^(A) you be secure.
⁷May there be peace^(B) within your walls
    and security within your citadels.^(C)”
⁸For the sake of my family and friends,
    I will say, “Peace be within you.”
⁹For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your prosperity.^(D)