1. He said to me, "Son of man, eat what is given to you. Eat this scroll and then go; speak to the people of Israel."

2. I opened my mouth and he made me eat the scroll and then

3. he said to me, "Eat and fill yourself with this scroll that I'm giving you." I ate it and it tasted as sweet as honey.

4. He said, "Son of man, go to the Israelites; speak to them with my words.

5. Indeed it is not a people with a difficult foreign language to whom you are sent; it is to the people of Israel.

6. It's not to the many nations with difficult and obscure languages which you cannot understand. If I sent you to them they would listen to you.

7. But the Israelites will not listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me; all of them are defiant and stubborn of heart.

8. See I am making your face as unyielding as theirs and your forehead as hard as theirs.

9. I am making your forehead as hard as a diamond, harder than flint; so you shall not fear or tremble because of this set of rebels."

10. He said to me, "Son of man, listen and take to heart all I say to you,

11. and then go to the exiles, your fellow countrymen, speak to them and tell them: 'This is what Yahweh says,' whether they listen or not."

12. Then the spirit lifted me up; behind me I heard a great acclamation, "Blessed be the Glory of Yahweh in his dwelling place"

13. and I heard the noise of the animals' wings brushing against each other, and the noise of the wheels; it was a great uproar.

14. The spirit had lifted me up, and carried me off but I went in a bitter and feverish spirit because the hand of Yahweh was heavy upon me.

15. I came to Tel Abib to the exiles living by the river Chebar and I stayed there seven days with them, overwhelmed.

16. After seven days the word of Yahweh came to me,

17. "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the House of Israel. With the word you hear from my mouth you will warn them in my name.

18. When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' if you do not speak to warn the wicked man to give up his evil ways and so live, he shall die for his sin, and I will hold you responsible for his death.

19. But if you have warned the wicked man and he has not given up his wickedness and evil ways, he shall die for his sin but you will save yourself.

20. When the righteous man turns from what is good to do evil I shall put an obstacle in his path: he shall die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. His good deeds will not be remembered and I shall hold you responsible for his death.

21. But when you have warned the righteous man to keep him from sinning and he has not sinned, he will live for sure for he was warned and you will save your life."

22. The hand of Yahweh was upon me and he said to me,"Get up! Go to the valley and there I shall speak to you."

23. I got up and went towards the valley and there was the Glory of Yahweh that I had seen by the Chebar river. I fell on my face.

24. Then the spirit came to me and kept me standing; He spoke to me and said; "Go! Shut yourself in your house.

25. You, son of man, will be bound with cords and prevented from going among the people.

26. Your tongue shall stick to your palate and you will remain dumb and not be able to rebuke them for they are a rebellious people.

27. But when I speak to you I shall open your lips and you shall say to them: This is the word of Yahweh! He who listens, let him listen and he who refuses to listen, let him refuse for they are a rebellious people.





“É preciso amar, amar e nada mais”. São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina