6. You are not being sent to many nations whose speech you can’t understand. The language of Israel is not difficult. You are not being sent to people whose words you cannot understand. If I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.
7. But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you. This is because they are not willing to listen to me. Yes, all the people of Israel are stubborn and will not obey.
8. See, I have made you as stubborn as they are. You will be as hard as they are.
9. I have made you as hard as a diamond, harder than stone. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be frightened by them. They are a people who turn against me.”
10. Also, the Lord said to me, “Human being, believe all the words that I will speak to you. And listen carefully.
11. Go to the captives, your people. And speak to them, whether they listen or not. Tell them, ‘The Lord God says this.’”
12. Then the Spirit lifted me up. And I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me. A voice said, “Praise God in heaven.”
13. I heard the wings of the living creatures touching each other. And I heard the sound of the wheels by them. It was a loud rumbling sound.
14. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I was unhappy and angry. I felt the great power of the Lord.
15. I came to the captives from Judah. They lived by the Kebar River at Tel Abib. I sat there seven days where these people lived. I was shocked.
16. After seven days the Lord spoke his word to me again. He said,
17. “Human being, I have made you a watchman for Israel. Any time you hear a word from my mouth, warn them for me.
18. When I say to an evil person, ‘You will surely die,’ you must warn him. If you don’t speak out to warn the evil person to leave his evil way, he will die in his sin. But I will hold you responsible for his death.