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Ezekiel's Call to Be a Prophet

¹ He said to me, "Son of man,^[a](a) stand^(b) up on your feet and I will speak to you.^(c)" ² As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me^(d) to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

³ He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.^{(e) 4} The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.^(f) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.'^{(g) 5} And whether they listen or fail to listen^(h)—for they are a rebellious people⁽ⁱ⁾—they will know that a prophet has been among them.^{(j) 6} And you, son of man, do not be afraid^(k) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns^(l) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^{(m) 7} You must speak⁽ⁿ⁾ my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.^{(o) 8} But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel^(p) like that rebellious people;^(q) open your mouth and eat^(r) what I give you."

⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand^(s) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,^{(t) 10} which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.^(u)