Ezekiel 44 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

Ezekiel 44:1-31

The priesthood restored

1Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, and it was shut. 2The Lord said to me, ‘This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no-one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. 3The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.’

4Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple of the Lord, and I fell face down.

5The Lord said to me, ‘Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary. 6Say to rebellious Israel, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! 7In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant. 8Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary. 9This is what the Sovereign Lord says: no foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.

10‘ “The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin. 11They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them. 12But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord. 13They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame of their detestable practices. 14And I will appoint them to guard the temple for all the work that is to be done in it.

15‘ “But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table to minister before me and serve me as guards.

17‘ “When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes; they must not wear any woollen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. 18They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments round their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire. 19When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated through contact with their garments.

20‘ “They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed. 21No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court. 22They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests. 23They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.

24‘ “In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals, and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.

25‘ “A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself. 26After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days. 27On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering44:27 Or purification offering; also in verse 29 for himself, declares the Sovereign Lord.

28‘ “I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. 29They will eat the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted44:29 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord. to the Lord will belong to them. 30The best of all the firstfruits and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household. 31The priests must not eat anything, whether bird or animal, found dead or torn by wild animals.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

以西结书 44:1-31

君王,利未人和祭司

1那人又把我带到圣殿外院的东门,门关闭着。 2耶和华对我说:“这门必须关闭,不可打开。没有人能从这门进入,因为以色列的上帝耶和华已从这门进入,所以这门必须关闭。 3只有君王可以坐在里面,在耶和华面前进食。他要从门廊进入,也要从原路出去。”

4他带我从北门来到殿前,我看见耶和华的荣光充满了祂的殿,我就俯伏在地。 5耶和华对我说:“人子啊,你要认真看,仔细听我讲有关圣殿的一切规矩和法则,记住所有的出入口。 6然后告诉那些叛逆的以色列人,‘主耶和华这样说,以色列人啊,你们行可憎的事,该够了吧! 7你们献上食物、脂肪和血的同时,竟将那些身心未受割礼的外族人领进我的圣所,亵渎我的殿,破坏我的约,使你们罪上加罪。 8你们自己不管理我的圣物,却把我的圣所给外人治理。

9“‘因此,主耶和华说,以色列人中身心未受割礼的外族人不可进入我的圣所。

10“‘以色列人走入歧途时,有些利未人也远离我、追随偶像,他们必须承担自己犯罪的后果。 11然而,他们仍要在我的圣殿供职,看管殿门,为百姓屠宰燔祭牲和其他祭牲,服侍他们。 12因为利未人带动以色列人拜偶像,使以色列人陷入罪中,所以我起誓,他们必承担自己犯罪的后果。这是主耶和华说的。 13他们不得走近我,不可做我的祭司,也不得走近我的圣物或至圣之物,他们必因自己的可憎行径蒙羞。 14然而,我要委派他们管理圣殿,办理殿中所有的事务。

15“‘以色列人走入歧途时,利未撒督的子孙仍然在我的圣所尽忠职守,因此他们可以接近我、事奉我,侍立在我面前,献上脂肪和祭牲的血。这是主耶和华说的。 16只有他们可以进入我的圣所,在我的桌前事奉我,遵行我的吩咐。 17他们从内院的门进入殿内供职的时候,要穿细麻布衣服,不可穿羊毛衣服。 18他们要戴细麻布头巾,穿细麻布裤子,不可穿使人容易出汗的衣服。 19他们出去外院见百姓的时候,必须脱下供职时穿的衣服,放在圣屋,穿上普通的衣服后再出去,免得通过圣衣把圣洁带到百姓身上。 20他们不可剃光头,也不可留长头发,只可修剪头发。 21祭司进入内院之前,不可喝酒。 22他们不可娶寡妇或被休的妇女为妻,只能娶以色列的处女或祭司的遗孀。 23他们要教导我的子民辨别圣与俗,洁净与不洁净。 24他们要审理诉讼之事,按我的律例断是非。他们必须按我定的律例和法度遵守一切节期,守安息日为圣日。 25他们不可走近死尸,免得玷污自己,除非死者是自己的父母、子女、弟兄或未出嫁的姊妹。 26祭司得到洁净后,要再等七天。 27他进入内院的圣所事奉时,要为自己献上赎罪祭,这是主耶和华说的。

28“‘祭司不可在以色列拥有自己的产业,因为我就是他们的产业。 29他们的食物是以色列人献上的素祭、赎罪祭和赎过祭。凡献给耶和华的都归他们, 30各种初熟的出产和各种供物都应归给祭司。你们将初熟的麦子磨成面给祭司,福气就必临到你们的家。 31无论是自然死亡的,还是被其他野兽咬死的禽兽,祭司都不可吃。