Ezekiel 1

Now 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 of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

In my thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was held captive by the river Chebar, the heavens split open and I was blessed with divine visions.

In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,

On the fifth day of the fifth year, when King Jehoiachin was still held captive,

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

God's message came directly to Ezekiel, the priest and son of Buzi, while he was in the land of the Chaldeans, by the Chebar River. God's guiding presence was strongly felt by him there.

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

I gazed in awe as a mighty storm erupted from the north, a vast cloud ablaze with self-consuming fire. It radiated a brilliant light, and at its heart, it glowed with the warm hue of amber, born from the fire's core.

Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

From its very core emerged four beings, alive and vibrant. They bore a striking resemblance to humans in their form.

And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

Each being was adorned with four unique faces and four majestic wings.

And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

Their feet were firm and steady, resembling the sturdy hooves of a calf. They shone with the radiant glow of polished brass.

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

Beneath their wings, they held human hands on all four sides. Each of them had faces and wings.

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

Their wings were intimately connected, moving in unison. They didn't deviate from their path, each one steadfastly moving straight ahead.

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

Each of the four beings had human faces, and on their right, they bore the fierce face of a lion. On their left, they carried the steadfast face of an ox, and each of them also had the face of an eagle.

Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

Their faces were as such, and their wings reached for the heavens. Each had two wings intertwined, and another pair sheltering their bodies.

And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

Everyone moved forward, guided by their spirit, unwavering and undeterred in their path.

As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

The living beings resembled fiery, burning embers, flickering like lanterns. They moved amongst each other, their radiant glow illuminating the surroundings. From their fiery brilliance, flashes of lightning emerged.

And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

The living beings moved with such speed and energy, darting back and forth like a sudden, brilliant flash of lightning.

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

As I looked at the living beings, I saw a wheel on the ground next to them, each with four faces, filling me with awe and wonder.

The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

The wheels, gleaming like precious beryl, were identical in their intricate design, appearing as a wheel within a wheel.

When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

As they journeyed, they moved in all four directions, never deviating from their path.

As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

Their rings towered so high, it was terrifying. Each of these rings, on all four sides, was filled with countless eyes.

And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

As the beings moved, the wheels moved with them, mirroring their journey. When the beings ascended from the ground, the wheels too, rose, reflecting their ascension.

Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Wherever their spirit felt called to journey, they followed. Their spirit led them, lifting them high, just as the life force within the wheels propelled them forward.

When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

When one group moved, the other followed; when one group stopped, the other did too. When one group was raised from the ground, the wheels mirrored their motion. This was because the spirit of the living being was within the wheels.

And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

The living beings were crowned with a sky-like expanse, shimmering with the intimidating brilliance of crystal, extending above their heads.

And 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.

Beneath the vast sky, their wings stretched out straight, mirroring each other. Each had two wings, shielding their bodies on both sides.

And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

As they moved, the sound of their wings echoed like a mighty ocean, a voice as powerful as God's, speaking amidst the roar of a vast crowd. When they paused, their wings gently lowered.

And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

A voice echoed from the heavens above them, as they stood still, their wings gently lowered.

And 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 the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

Above their heads, beyond the sky, was a throne shimmering like a sapphire. And on this radiant throne, there appeared to be a figure, a man, seated high above.

And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

I witnessed a sight, radiant and warm like amber, a fiery aura surrounding it from top to bottom. It was as if I was looking at a brilliant flame, glowing intensely all around.

As 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 the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Just like a rainbow shines brightly in the sky after a rain, so was the radiant presence of God's glory. Seeing this divine spectacle, I was overwhelmed and fell face down, hearing a voice speaking to me.