He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to speak to the family of Israel. Those people turned against me many times. And their ancestors turned against me. They have sinned against me many times—and they are still sinning against me today.
I am sending you to speak to those people. But they are very stubborn. They are very hard headed. But you must speak to those people. You must say, ‘The Lord our Master says these things.’
You must tell them the things I say. I know they won’t listen to you. And they won’t stop sinning against me! Why? Because they are a rebellious people.
So now, Son of man, {\cf2\super [143]} speak to the family of Israel. Tell them, ‘The Lord my Master says these things: The people of Israel said bad things about me and made evil plans against me.
Then go to all of your people that are in exile. {\cf2\super [23]} Go to them and say, ‘The Lord our Master says these things.’ They won’t listen and they won’t stop sinning, \{but you must tell them these things\}.”
But the Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [5]} will come to you. Then you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—\{you will tell people about me\}. First, you will tell people in Jerusalem. Then you will tell people in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.”