1 And he said to me, "Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak with you."

2 And when he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me upon my feet; and I heard him speaking to me.

3 And he said to me, "Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels, who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day.

4 The people also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them; and you shall say to them, `Thus says the Lord GOD.'

5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that there has been a prophet among them.

6 And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit upon scorpions; be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.

7 And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear; for they are a rebellious house.

8 "But you, son of man, hear what I say to you; be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth, and eat what I give you."

9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and, lo, a written scroll was in it;

10 and he spread it before me; and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.