<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore say to the house of Israel, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Return! Turn from your idols, and turn your faces away from your abominations.

Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel,<n id="1" /> and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, they could not save their own sons or daughters &#8211; they would save only their own lives.p>

and say, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

Your fame<n id="1" /> spread among the nations because of your beauty; your beauty was perfect because of the splendor which I bestowed on you, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="2" />p>

As for my food that I gave you &#8211; the fine flour, olive oil, and honey I fed you &#8211; you placed it before them as a soothing aroma. That is exactly what happened, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;How sick is your heart, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, when you perform all of these acts, the deeds of a bold prostitute.

As surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;For this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: As surely as I live, I will certainly repay him<n id="1" /> for despising my oath and breaking my covenant!

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;As surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore!

and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out.<n id="1" /> That man<n id="2" /> is righteous; he will certainly live,<n id="3" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Yet you say, &#8216;The Lord&#8217;s conduct<n id="1" /> is unjust!&#8217; Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

Yet the house of Israel says, &#8216;The Lord&#8217;s conduct is unjust!&#8217; Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore say to the house of Israel, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers<n id="1" /> and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?

As surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm,<n id="1" /> and with an outpouring of rage, I will be king over you.

Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.

Then you will know that I am the <sc>Lordsc>, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Then I said, &#8220;O sovereign <sc>Lordsc>! They are saying of me, &#8216;Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?&#8217;&#8221;p>

&#8220;Son of man, prophesy and say: &#8216;This is what the Lord says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;A sword, a sword is sharpened,p> <p class="poetry">and also polished.p>