Ezekiel 33
1. Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying * ,
2. Son of man, speak * to the children of thy people, and say * unto them, When I bring * the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take * a man of their coasts, and set * him for their watchman * :
3. If when he seeth * the sword come * upon the land, he blow * the trumpet, and warn * the people;
4. Then whosoever * heareth * the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning * ; if the sword come * , and take him away * , his blood shall be upon his own head.
5. He heard * the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning * ; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning * shall deliver * his soul.
6. But if the watchman * see * the sword come * , and blow * not the trumpet, and the people be not warned * ; if the sword come * , and take * any person from among them, he is taken away * in his iniquity; but his blood will I require * at the watchman's * hand.
7. So thou, O son of man, I have set * thee a watchman * unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear * the word at my mouth, and warn * them from me.
8. When I say * unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely * die * ; if thou dost not speak * to warn * the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die * in his iniquity;but his blood will I require * at thine hand.
9. Nevertheless, if thou warn * the wicked of his way to turn * from it; if he do not turn * from his way, he shall die * in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered * thy soul.
10. Therefore, O thou son of man, speak * unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak * , saying * , If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away * in them, how should we then live * ?
11. Say * unto them, As I live, saith * the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure * in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn * from his way and live * : turn * ye, turn * ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die * , O house of Israel?
12. Therefore, thou son of man, say * unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver * him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall * thereby in the day that he turneth * from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able * to live * for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth * .
13. When I shall say * to the righteous,that he shall surely * live * ; if he trust * to his own righteousness, and commit * iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered * ; but for his iniquity that he hath committed * , he shall die * for it.
14. Again, when I say * unto the wicked,Thou shalt surely * die * ; if he turn * from his sin, and do * that which is lawful and right;
15. If the wicked restore * the pledge, give again * that he had robbed,walk * in the statutes of life,without committing * iniquity; he shall surely * live * , he shall not die * .
16. None of his sins that he hath committed * shall be mentioned * unto him: he hath done * that which is lawful and right; he shall surely * live * .
17. Yet the children of thy people say * , The way of the Lord is not equal * : but as for them, their way is not equal * .
18. When the righteous turneth * from his righteousness, and committeth * iniquity, he shall even die * thereby.
19. But if the wicked turn * from his wickedness, and do * that which is lawful and right, he shall live * thereby.
20. Yet ye say * , The way of the Lord is not equal * . O ye house of Israel, I will judge * you every one after his ways.
21. And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came * unto me, saying * , The city is smitten * .
22. Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came * ; and had opened * my mouth,until he came * to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened * , and I was no more dumb * .
23. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying * ,
24. Son of man, they that inhabit * those wastes of the land of Israel speak * , saying * , Abraham was one, and he inherited * the land: but we are many; the land is given * us for inheritance.
25. Wherefore say * unto them, Thus saith * the Lord GOD; Ye eat * with the blood, and lift up * your eyes toward your idols, and shed * blood:and shall ye possess * the land?
26. Ye stand * upon your sword, ye work * abomination, and ye defile * every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess * the land?
27. Say * thou thus unto them, Thus saith * the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall * by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give * to the beasts to be devoured * , and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die * of the pestilence.
28. For I will lay * the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease * ; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate * , that none shall pass through * .
29. Then shall they know * that I am the LORD, when I have laid * the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed * .
30. Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking * against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak * one to another, every one to his brother, saying * , Come * , I pray you, and hear * what is the word that cometh forth * from the LORD.
31. And they come * unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit * before thee as my people, and they hear * thy words, but they will not do * them: for with their mouth they shew * much love, but their heart goeth * after their covetousness.
32. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well * on an instrument * : for they hear * thy words, but they do * them not.
33. And when this cometh to pass * , (lo, it will come * ,) then shall they know * that a prophet hath been among them.
