Ezekiel

¹ God's Message came to me,

² " 'Your heart is proud, going around saying, "I'm a god. I sit on God's divine throne, ruling the sea"— You, a mere mortal, not even close to being a god, A mere mortal trying to be a god.

³ No enigmas can stump you.

⁴ made you world-wealthy. You piled up gold and silver in your banks.

⁵ worked good deals, made a lot of money. But the money has gone to your head, swelled your head—what a big head!

⁶ " 'Because you're acting like a god, pretending to be a god,

⁷ the most vicious of all nations. They'll pull their swords and make hash of your reputation for knowing it all. They'll puncture the balloon of your god-pretensions.

⁸ and bury you in the deep blue sea.

⁹ "You can't do that! I'm a god"? To them you're a mere mortal. They're killing a man, not a god.

¹⁰ killed by strangers—

¹¹ Decree of God, the Master.' " God's Message came to me:

¹² "You had everything going for you.

¹³ You were dressed in splendor, your robe studded with jewels: Carnelian, peridot, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald, all in settings of engraved gold. A robe was prepared for you the same day you were created.

¹⁴ I placed you on the mountain of God. You strolled in magnificence among the stones of fire.

¹⁵ you were sheer perfection... and then imperfection—evil!—was detected in you.

¹⁶ you turned violent, you sinned! I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God. I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub. No more strolling among the gems of fire for you!

¹⁷ You corrupted wisdom by using it to get worldly fame. I threw you to the ground, sent you sprawling before an audience of kings and let them gloat over your demise.

¹⁸ by your corrupt ways of doing business, you defiled your holy places of worship. So I set a fire around and within you. It burned you up. I reduced you to ashes. All anyone sees now when they look for you is ashes, a pitiful mound of ashes.

¹⁹ now throw up their hands: 'This can't have happened! This has happened!' "

²⁰ God's Message came to me

²¹ : "Son of man, confront Sidon. Preach against it.

²² " 'Look! I'm against you, Sidon. I intend to be known for who I truly am among you.' They'll know that I am God when I set things right and reveal my holy presence.

²³ along with murder and mayhem in the streets. People will drop dead right and left, as war presses in from every side. Then they'll realize that I mean business, that I am God.

²⁴ their thistle-and-thorn neighbors Who have treated them so contemptuously. And they also will realize that I am God."

²⁵ God, the Master, says, "When I gather Israel from the peoples among whom they've been scattered and put my holiness on display among them with all the nations looking on, then they'll live in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob.

²⁶ They'll live there in safety. They'll build houses. They'll plant vineyards, living in safety. Meanwhile, I'll bring judgment on all the neighbors who have treated them with such contempt. And they'll realize that I am God."