Study Desk

But if the watchman sees the enemy coming to attack and does not blow the trumpet, the people will not be warned. Then if the enemy comes and kills any of them, they have died because of their own sin. But I will punish the watchman for their deaths.'

Suppose I say to the wicked: ‘Wicked people, you will surely die,' but you don't speak to warn the wicked to stop doing evil. Then they will die because they were sinners, but I will punish you for their deaths.

But if you warn the wicked to stop doing evil and they do not stop, they will die because they were sinners. But you have saved your life.

"Your people say: ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.' But it is their own ways that are not fair.

But when the wicked stop doing evil and do what is right and fair, they will live.

"But as for you, human, your people are talking about you by the walls and in the doorways of houses. They say to each other: ‘Come now, and hear the message from the Lord .'

So they come to you in crowds as if they were really ready to listen. They sit in front of you as if they were my people and hear your words, but they will not obey them. With their mouths they tell me they love me, but their hearts desire their selfish profits.

To your people you are nothing more than a singer who sings love songs and has a beautiful voice and plays a musical instrument well. They hear your words, but they will not obey them.

You eat the milk curds, and you clothe yourselves with the wool. You kill the fat sheep, but you do not feed the flock.

You have not made the weak strong. You have not healed the sick or put bandages on those that were hurt. You have not brought back those who strayed away or searched for the lost. But you have ruled the sheep with cruel force.

I will search for the lost, bring back those that strayed away, put bandages on those that were hurt, and make the weak strong. But I will destroy those sheep that are fat and strong. I will tend the sheep with fairness.

They will not be led captive by the nations again. The wild animals will not eat them, but they will live safely, and no one will make them afraid.

"‘You said, "These two nations, Israel and Judah, and these two lands will be ours. We will take them for our own." But the Lord was there.

You were happy when the land of Israel was ruined, but I will do the same thing to you. Mount Seir and all Edom, you will become an empty ruin. Then you will know that I am the Lord .'

"‘But you, mountains of Israel, will grow branches and fruit for my people, who will soon come home.

But you will not eat people anymore or take away the children, says the Lord God .

They dishonored my holy name in the nations where they went. The nations said about them, ‘These are the people of the Lord , but they had to leave the land which he gave them.'

But I had concern for my holy name, which the nation of Israel had dishonored among the nations where they went.

"So say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Israel, I am going to act, but not for your sake. I will do something to help my holy name, which you have dishonored among the nations where you went.

I will prove the holiness of my great name, which has been dishonored among the nations. You have dishonored it among these nations, but the nations will know that I am the Lord when I prove myself holy before their eyes, says the Lord God .