“Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel, ‘The days pass slowly, and every vision fails’?

“Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine?

“‘How sick is your heart, declares the sovereign Lord, when you perform all of these acts, the deeds of a bold prostitute.

“What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “‘The fathers eat sour grapes And the children’s teeth become numb?’

Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel?

So I said to them, What is this high place you go to?’” (So it is called “High Place” to this day.)

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

He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming.

Very soon they will say, “We have no king since we did not fear the Lord. But what can a king do for us anyway?”

O Ephraim, I do not want to have anything to do with idols anymore! I will answer him and care for him. I am like a luxuriant cypress tree; your fruitfulness comes from me!

Listen to the cattle groan! The herds of livestock wander around in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

Woe to those who wish for the day of the Lord! Why do you want the Lord’s day of judgment to come? It will bring darkness, not light.

Jerusalem, why are you now shouting so loudly? Has your king disappeared? Has your wise leader been destroyed? Is this why pain grips you as if you were a woman in labor?

You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are?

What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things?

He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” So I responded, “No, sir.”

Before he could reply I asked again, “What are these two extensions of the olive trees, which are emptying out the golden oil through the two golden pipes?”

Someone asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a flying scroll thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide.”

After this the angelic messenger who had been speaking to me went out and said, “Look, see what is leaving.”

“I have shown love to you,” says the Lord, but you say, “How have you shown love to us?” “Esau was Jacob’s brother,” the Lord explains, “yet I chose Jacob