The Real Reality

1. Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2. In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3. Yahweh’s word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and Yahweh’s hand was there on him. 4. I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire. 5. Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man. 6. Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. 7. Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8. They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this: 9. Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward. 10. As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle. 11. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies. 12. Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went. 13. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire. 14. The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. 15. Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. 16. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17. When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went. 18. As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around. 19. When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20. Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21. When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 22. Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above. 23. Under the expanse, their wings were straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side. 24. When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings. 25. There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads. When they stood, they let down their wings. 26. Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above. 27. I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28. As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of Yahweh’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.

2

1. He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2. The Spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard him who spoke to me. 3. He said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me even to this very day. 4. The children are impudent and stiff-hearted. I am sending you to them, and you shall tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says.’ 5. They, whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse, for they are a rebellious house, yet they will know that there has been a prophet among them. 6. You, son of man, don’t be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. 7. You shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse; for they are most rebellious. 8. But you, son of man, hear what I tell you. Don’t be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat that which I give you.” 9. When I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me; and, behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10. He spread it before me. It was written within and without; and lamentations, mourning, and woe were written in it.

3

1. He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the scroll. 3. He said to me, “Son of man, cause your belly to eat, and fill your bowels with this scroll that I give you.” Then I ate it; and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. 4. He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them. 5. For you are not sent to a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel; 6. not to many peoples of a strange speech and of a hard language, whose words you can’t understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. 7. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they will not listen to me; for all the house of Israel are obstinate and hard-hearted. 8. Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. 9. I have made your forehead as a diamond, harder than flint. Don’t be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.” 10. Moreover he said to me, “Son of man, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all my words that I speak to you. 11. Go to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says,’ whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse. 12. Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, “Blessed be Yahweh’s glory from his place.” 13. I heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, even the noise of a great rushing. 14. So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and Yahweh’s hand was strong on me. 15. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel Aviv, that lived by the river Chebar, and to where they lived; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.

1. This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John, 2. who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw. 3. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand. 4. John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood— 6. and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen. 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9. I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet 11. saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” 12. I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands. 13. And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. 14. His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15. His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. 16. He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. 17. When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18. and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19. Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter. 20. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.

1. So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2. Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His wrath was kindled because he justified himself rather than God. 3. Also his wrath was kindled against his three friends, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were elder than he. 5. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled. 6. Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered, “I am young, and you are very old; Therefore I held back, and didn’t dare show you my opinion. 7. I said, ‘Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’ 8. But there is a spirit in man, and the Spirit of the Almighty gives them understanding. 9. It is not the great who are wise, nor the aged who understand justice. 10. Therefore I said, ‘Listen to me; I also will show my opinion.’