< Ezekiel 2 >

1 He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you."
“Stand up, son of man, because I want to talk to you,” he said to me.
2 The Spirit entered into me when he spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard him who spoke to me.
As he spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and had me stand up. I listened to him speaking to me.
3 He said to me, "Son of man, I send you to the house of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me even to this very day.
“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.
4 The children are obstinate and hardhearted. I am sending you to them, and you shall tell them, 'Thus says YHWH.'
They are pig-headed; they are hard-hearted children. I am sending you to tell them that this is what the Lord God says.
5 They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.
Whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious people—they will realize that a prophet has come to them.
6 You, son of man, do not be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions: do not be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
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.
7 You shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious.
Just tell them what I say, whether they listen or not, because they're rebels.
8 But you, son of man, hear what I tell you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that which I give you."
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.”
9 When I looked, look, a hand was put forth to me; and, look, a written scroll was in it.
I looked up and saw a hand stretched out to me holding a scroll.
10 He spread it before me: and it was written within and without; and there were written in it lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
He spread it out in front of me, and there written on both the front and back were words of grief, mourning, and tragedy.

< Ezekiel 2 >