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New Living Translation |   | |
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| | Eze 14:1 | Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were there,
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| | Eze 14:2 | this message came to me from the LORD:
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| | Eze 14:3 | "Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that lead them into sin. Why should I let them ask me anything?
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| | Eze 14:4 | Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: I, the LORD, will punish the people of Israel who set up idols in their hearts so they fall into sin and then come to a prophet asking for help.
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| | Eze 14:5 | I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.
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| | Eze 14:6 | "Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign LORD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your loathsome practices.
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| | Eze 14:7 | I, the LORD, will punish all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts so they fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice.
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| | Eze 14:8 | I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, destroying them. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
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| | Eze 14:9 | And if a prophet is deceived and gives a message anyway, it is because I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet. I will stand against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel.
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| | Eze 14:10 | False prophets and hypocrites--evil people who claim to want my advice--will all be punished for their sins.
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| | Eze 14:11 | In this way, the people of Israel will learn not to stray from me, polluting themselves with sin. They will be my people, and I will be their God, says the Sovereign LORD."
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| | Eze 14:12 | Then this message came to me from the LORD:
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| | Eze 14:13 | "Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals alike.
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| | Eze 14:14 | Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, declares the Sovereign LORD.
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| | Eze 14:15 | "Or suppose I were to send an invasion of dangerous wild animals to devastate the land and kill the people.
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| | Eze 14:16 | Even if these three men were there, the Sovereign LORD swears that it would do no good--it wouldn't save the people from destruction. Those three alone would be saved, but the land would be devastated.
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| | Eze 14:17 | "Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I told enemy armies to come and destroy everything.
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| | Eze 14:18 | Even if these three men were in the land, the Sovereign LORD swears that they could not save the people. They alone would be saved.
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| | Eze 14:19 | "Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic of disease into the land, and the plague killed people and animals alike.
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| | Eze 14:20 | Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, the Sovereign LORD swears that they could not save the people. They alone would be saved by their righteousness.
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| | Eze 14:21 | "Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How terrible it will be when all four of these fearsome punishments fall upon Jerusalem--war, famine, beasts, and plague--destroying all her people and animals.
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| | Eze 14:22 | Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem.
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| | Eze 14:23 | When you meet them and see their behavior, you will agree that these things are not being done to Israel without cause, says the Sovereign LORD."
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