Ezekiel
Chapter 13
1 God’s message came to me, saying,
2 Human, speak against the false prophets of Israel. Tell those who predict from their own thoughts, listen to God’s message.
3 God says, “Bad things will come to the silly prophets who follow their own thoughts and have seen nothing!”
4 Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the wastelands.
5 You did not go into the breaks or fix the wall for Israel to hold strong in battle on God’s day.
6 They have seen lies and false visions, claiming, “God says,” when God has not sent them, and they have led others to hope they would affirm the word.
7 Haven’t you seen a false vision and told a false prophecy, claiming God said it when I did not speak?
8 So God says, “Because you have spoken nonsense and seen false things, I am against you,” says God.
9 I will act against the false prophets who see empty visions and tell lies. They will not join my people’s gatherings, won’t be listed among the people of Israel, and won’t enter Israel’s land. Then you will know that I am God.
10 Because they misled my people, saying, “Peace,” when there was no peace, and someone built a wall, and others covered it with weak mortar.
11 Tell those who cover it with weak plaster that it will collapse: a heavy rain will pour down, large hailstones will fall, and a fierce wind will tear it apart.
12 Look, when the wall has fallen, won’t people ask you, “Where is the plaster you used to cover it?”
13 So God says: I will tear it apart with a violent wind in my anger; there will be a massive rainstorm in my rage, and huge hailstones in my fury to destroy it.
14 I will knock down the wall you’ve covered with weak mortar, it will fall to the ground, its base will be exposed, it will collapse, and you will be destroyed in its ruin. Then you will know that I am God.
15 I will finish my anger on the wall and on those who covered it with weak plaster, and I will tell you, The wall is gone, and so are those who plastered it.
16 The prophets of Israel who speak about Jerusalem and who have visions of peace for it, when there is no peace, says God.
17 You, human, turn to the women of your people who speak their own thoughts as if from God; and speak out against them.
18 Say this, “God says: Bad luck to the women who sew cushions for every wrist and make veils for people of every height to trap lives! Are you trapping my people’s lives and saving the lives of others who come to you?”
19 Will you dishonor God among the people for some barley and bread, by killing those who should not die and keeping alive those who should not live, with your lies to those who believe them?
20 So God says: Look, I am against your magic charms, which you use to trap souls like birds. I will rip them from your hands and free the souls you catch with them.
21 I will tear off your veils and rescue my people from your grasp, and they will no longer be prey in your hands; then you will know that I am God.
22 You have made good people feel sad with lies, even though I did not make them sad; and you have encouraged the bad people, so they do not stop their wrong ways by promising them life.
23 So you won’t see false visions or make predictions anymore, because I will rescue my people from your control, and you will realize that I am God.