“Son of man, there were two women who were daughters of the same mother.

You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.

Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, they could not save their own son or daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.

Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?’

And as for them, whether they listen or not – for they are a rebellious house – they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on?

As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.

“‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, I will certainly repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant!

“As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore!

As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm, and with an outpouring of rage, I will be king over you.

“‘For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more? declares the sovereign Lord.’

Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong when I deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it!

Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.

So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.

In my zeal, in the fire of my fury, I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.

“‘But the Levites who went far from me, straying off from me after their idols when Israel went astray, will be responsible for their sin.

They must not marry a widow or a divorcee, but they may marry a virgin from the house of Israel or a widow who is a priest’s widow.

not to many peoples of unintelligible speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand – surely if I had sent you to them, they would listen to you!

Go to the exiles, to your fellow countrymen, and speak to them – say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says,’ whether they pay attention or not.”

“Therefore, as surely as I live, says the sovereign Lord, because you defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominable practices, I will withdraw; my eye will not pity you, nor will I spare you.