Then He said to me, “Son of man, ^astand on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 Then as He spoke to me the ^aSpirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. 3 And He said to me, “I am sending you, son of man, to the children of Israel, to a rebellious people in both the north and the south that have ^arebelled against Me; ^bthey and their fathers have sinned and revolted against Me to this very day. 4 I am sending you to them who are ^astubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord ¹GOD.’ 5 As for them, ^awhether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will ^bknow and be fully aware of the fact that there has been a prophet among them. 6 And you, son of man, ^aneither fear them nor fear their words; though ^bbriars and thorns are all around you and you sit among scorpions, neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. 7 But you shall ^aspeak My words to them ^bwhether they will listen or refuse to listen, for they are most rebellious.

8 “As for you, son of man, listen to what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and ^aeat what I am giving you.” 9 Then I looked, and I saw a ^ahand stretched out toward me; and behold, a ^bscroll of a book was in it. 10 And He spread it before me, and it was written on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of lamentation (funeral songs) and mourning and ^awoe.