Ezekiel 33:17-33

17“Yet 1your fellow citizens say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their own way that is not right. 18When the righteous turns from his righteousness and 2commits injustice, then he shall die in 3it. 19But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and practices justice and righteousness, he will live by them. 20Yet you say, ‘4The way of the Lord is not right.’ I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.”

21Now 5in the 6twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month, the survivor from Jerusalem came to me, saying, “7The city has been 8taken.” 22Now the 9hand of the Lord had been upon me in the evening, before the survivors came. And He 10opened my mouth 11at the time they came to me in the morning; so my mouth was 12opened and I was no longer 13speechless.

23Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 24“Son of man, they who 14live in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘15Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to 16us who are many the land has been given as a possession.’ 25Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “You eat meat with the 17blood in it, raise your eyes to your idols as you shed blood. 18Should you then possess the land? 26You 1920rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Should you then possess the land?”’ 27You shall say this to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: “As I live, those who are in the places of ruins certainly will 21fall by the sword, and whoever is in the 22open field I will give to the animals to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and in the 23caves will die of plague. 28And I will 24make the land a desolation and a waste, and the 25pride of her power will be brought to an end; and the mountains of Israel will be deserted so that no one will pass through. 29Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations which they have committed.”’

30“But as for you, son of man, 26your fellow citizens who talk with one another about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak one with another, each with his brother, saying, ‘27Come now and hear what the 28message is that comes from the Lord.’ 31And they come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them; for they do the lustful desires expressed by their 29mouth, and their heart follows their unlawful 30gain. 32And behold, you are to them like a love song by one who has a 31beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. 33So when it 32comes--33as it certainly will--then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”