1 N ow it came to pass 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, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

On the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was by the Chebar River with the Jews who had been taken away from their land, the heavens were opened and I saw God in a special way.

2 I n the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

(On the fifth day of the month in the fifth year that King Jehoiachin had been living in a strange land,

3 t he word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.

the Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the religious leader, son of Buzi, in the land of the Babylonians by the Chebar River. There the hand of the Lord came upon him.)

4 A nd I looked, and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire infolding itself, and a brightness round about it, and out of the midst thereof as it were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire.

I looked and saw a wind storm coming from the north. There was a big cloud with lightning coming from it and with a bright light around it. Inside the fire was something like shining brass,

5 A nd out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.

and in the fire was what looked like four living beings. They looked like men,

6 A nd every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings.

but each of them had four faces and four wings.

7 A nd their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass.

Their legs were straight, and their feet were like those of a calf. They shined like bright brass.

8 A nd they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings thus:

Under their wings on their four sides were hands like a man’s. As for the faces and wings of the four of them,

9 t heir wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

their wings touched one another. Their faces did not turn when they moved. Each one moved straight ahead.

10 A s for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle.

As for what their faces looked like, each of the four had the face of a man, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of a bull on the left side, and the face of an eagle.

11 A nd their faces and their wings were separate above; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each had two wings touching the wings of another, and two covering their bodies.

12 A nd they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went.

And each one went straight ahead. Every place where the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.

13 A s 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; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

Between the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like fire lamps moving from side to side among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was coming out of the fire.

14 A nd the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

And the living beings ran this way and that, like lightning.

15 N ow as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces thereof.

As I looked at the living beings, I saw one wheel on the earth beside each of the living beings with its four faces.

16 T he appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto a beryl: and they four had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.

The way the wheels were made, they looked like shining chrysolite stone. All four of them looked the same. They were made to look as if one wheel were within another.

17 W hen they went, they went in their four directions: they turned not when they went.

When they moved, they went in one of their four ways, without turning as they went.

18 A s for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about.

The wheels were so high that they caused fear. And all four of them were full of eyes all around.

19 A nd when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

When the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. And when the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also.

20 W hithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; thither was the spirit to go: and the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Whatever way the spirit would go, they would go that way. And the wheels rose close beside them, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

21 W hen those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and 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.

When the living beings moved, they moved. When the beings stood still, they stood still. And when the beings rose up from the earth, the wheels rose close beside them. For the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

22 A nd over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the terrible crystal to look upon, stretched forth over their heads above.

Over the heads of the living beings there was something that looked like the sky. It shined like crystal and spread over their heads.

23 A nd under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which covered on that side, their bodies.

Under this covering their wings were spread out straight, one toward the other. Each one also had two wings covering their bodies on one side and on the other.

24 A nd 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 a host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

When they went, I heard the sound of their wings. They sounded like many waters, like the voice of the All-powerful. They sounded like the noise of an army camp. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

25 A nd there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.

A voice came from above the large covering over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

26 A nd above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above.

Above the large covering that was over their heads there was something that looked like a throne, and looked like it was made of sapphire. Sitting on the throne was what looked like a man.

27 A nd I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him.

Then I saw that there was something like shining brass from the center of his body and up to his head. It looked like fire all around within it. And from the center of his body and down to his feet I saw something like fire. There was a bright light shining all around Him.

28 A s the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

This light shining around Him looked like the rainbow in the clouds on a day of rain. This was what the shining-greatness of the Lord looked like. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.