Ezekiel 2

1 “Stand up, son of man, because I want to talk to you,” he said to me.

And he said to me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak with thee.

2 As he spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and had me stand up. I listened to him speaking to me.

And the spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me upon my feet; and I heard him that spake with me.

3 “Son of man,” he told me, “I'm sending you to the people of Israel, a disobedient nation that has rebelled against me. They and their forefathers have continued to rebel against me, even up to today.

And he said to me, Son of man, I send thee to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious nation, that hath rebelled against me; they and their fathers have rebelled against me to this very day.

4 They are pig-headed; they are hard-hearted children. I am sending you to tell them that this is what the Lord God says.

Brazen-faced and stiff-hearted are the sons to whom I send thee. And thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah.

5 Whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious people—they will realize that a prophet has come to them.

And whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, for they are a rebellious house, yet shall they know that a prophet is in the midst of them.

6 Son of man, don't be afraid of them or what they say. You don't need to be afraid even though you're surrounded by brambles and thorns, even though you live among scorpions. Don't be afraid of what they say or be discouraged by the way they look at you, even though they are a rebellious family.

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, and of their words be not afraid, though they be briers and thorns toward thee, and though thou dwell among scorpions; be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.

7 Just tell them what I say, whether they listen or not, because they're rebels.

Speak thou my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, for they are most rebellious.

8 As for you, son of man, pay attention to what I tell you. Don't be rebellious like those rebellious people. Open your mouth and eat what I'm about to give you.”

But thou, son of man, hear what I say to thee! Be not thou rebellious, like that rebellious house. Open thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee.

9 I looked up and saw a hand stretched out to me holding a scroll.

And when I looked, behold, a hand was put forth to me; and lo, a book-roll was therein.

10 He spread it out in front of me, and there written on both the front and back were words of grief, mourning, and tragedy.

And he spread it before me, and it was written within and without. And therein was written lamentation and mourning and woe.