Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel sees a vision of four living creatures and the glory of the LORD above them. The wheels within wheels move wherever the Spirit directs, and above the firmament sits a throne of sapphire with a figure like fire surrounded by brightness like a rainbow.

v	King James Version	Modern English
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 the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, I was among the exiles by the river Chebar. The heavens opened, and I saw visions of God.
2	In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,	It was the fifth day of the month — the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile.
3	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.	The word of the LORD came clearly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. The hand of the LORD was on Him there.
4	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 looked and saw a windstorm coming from the north — a great cloud with fire flashing from within it and brilliant light surrounding it. The center glowed like glowing metal from within the fire.
5	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 within it came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the form of a human being.
6	And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.	Each had four faces and four wings.
7	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 legs were straight. Their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze.
8	And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.	Under their wings on each of their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings.
9	Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; every one went straight forward.	Their wings touched one another. They did not turn when they moved. Each one went straight forward.
10	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.	As for the form of their faces: each had a human face on the front, a lion's face on the right side, an ox's face on the left side, and an eagle's face on the back.
11	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.	Such were their faces. Their wings were spread upward. Two wings of each creature touched the wings of the creatures on either side, and two wings covered their bodies.
12	And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.	Each one moved straight forward. Wherever the Spirit would go, they went. They did not turn when they moved.
13	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 appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among them. The fire was bright, and lightning flashed from the fire.
14	And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.	The living creatures moved back and forth like flashes of lightning.
15	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 creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures.
16	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 and their construction gleamed like topaz. All four wheels looked the same. Each wheel appeared to be a wheel intersecting a wheel.
17	When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.	When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without turning.
18	As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.	Their rims were high and awesome. All four rims were full of eyes all around.
19	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.	When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose with them.
20	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 the Spirit would go, the creatures went, and the wheels rose alongside them — for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21	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 the creatures moved, the wheels moved. When the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still. When the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose with them — for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22	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.	Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was something like a firmament, dazzling like crystal, stretched out overhead.
23	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.	Under the firmament their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. Each creature had two wings covering its body on each side.
24	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.	When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty — a tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25	And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.	There came a voice from above the firmament over their heads. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
26	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 the firmament over their heads was something like a throne — it looked like sapphire. On the likeness of the throne above was a figure that looked like a man.
27	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 saw that from what appeared to be His waist up, He looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire. From His waist down He looked like fire, and brilliant light surrounded Him.
28	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.	Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day — that was how the brilliant light around Him looked. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.