“This is what the sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem; I placed her in the center of the nations with countries all around her.

“This is what the sovereign Lord says: A disaster – a one-of-a-kind disaster – is coming!

“For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Bring up an army against them and subject them to terror and plunder.

“‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the city of bloodshed! I will also make the pile high.

“‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you think you are godlike,

“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘Wail, “Alas, the day is here!”

“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt, by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon.

“‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘The sword of the king of Babylon will attack you.

“‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out.

This is what the sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation.

This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live.

and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

“This is what you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword, those in the open field I will give to the wild beasts for food, and those who are in the strongholds and caves will die of disease.

The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’

“Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: I – even I – am against you, and I will execute judgment among you while the nations watch.

“You, son of man – this is what the sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel: An end! The end is coming on the four corners of the land!

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me and said to me, “Say: This is what the Lord says: ‘This is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; I know what goes through your minds.

Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: ‘The corpses you have dumped in the midst of the city are the meat, and this city is the cooking pot, but I will take you out of it.

Say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: The prince will raise this burden in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel within it.’

This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit but have seen nothing!