Ezekiel Encourages the People To Turn Back to the Lord

14 ¹ One day, some of Israel’s leaders came to me and asked for a message from the Lord. ² While they were there, the Lord said: ³ Ezekiel, son of man, these men have started worshiping idols, though they know it will cause them to sin even more. So I refuse to give them a message! ⁴ Tell the people of Israel that if they sin by worshiping idols and then go to a prophet to find out what I say, I will give them the answer their sins deserve. ⁵ When they hear my message, maybe they will see that they need to turn back to me and stop worshiping those idols. ⁶ Now, Ezekiel, tell everyone in Israel:  I am the Lord God. Stop worshiping your disgusting idols and come back to me. ⁷ Suppose one of you Israelites or a foreigner living in Israel rejects me and starts worshiping idols. If you then go to a prophet to find out what I say, I will answer ⁸ by turning against you. I will make you a warning to anyone who might think of doing the same thing, and you will no longer belong to my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that you have sinned against me. ⁹ If a prophet gives a false message, I am the one who caused that prophet to lie. But I will still reject him and cut him off from my people, ¹⁰ and anyone who goes to that prophet for a message will be punished in the same way. ¹¹ I will do this, so that you will come back to me and stop destroying yourselves with these disgusting sins. So turn back to me! Then I will be your God, and you will be my people. I, the Lord God, make this promise.