Then He saidto me, "Sonof man,I am sendingyou to the sonsof Israel,to a rebelliouspeoplewhohave rebelledagainst Me; they and their fathershave transgressedagainst Me to thisveryday.
However, they did not listen,but stiffenedtheir necklike their fathers,whodid not believein the LORDtheir God.
They rejectedHis statutesand His covenantwhichHe madewith their fathersand His warningswith whichHe warnedthem. And they followedvanityand becamevain,and [went] afterthe nationswhichsurroundedthem, concerning whichthe LORDhad commandedthem not to dolike them.
"Sincethe daysof our fathersto thisdaywe [have been] in greatguilt,and on account of our iniquitieswe, our kings[and] our priestshave been giveninto the handof the kingsof the lands,to the sword,to captivityand to plunderand to openshame,as [it is] thisday.
"But they becamedisobedientand rebelledagainst You, And castYour lawbehindtheir backsAnd killedYour prophetswhohad admonishedthem So that they might returnto You, And they committedgreatblasphemies.
They joinedthemselves also to Baal-peor,And atesacrificesoffered to the dead.
"Woeto the rebelliouschildren,"declaresthe LORD,"Who executea plan,but not Mine,And makean alliance,but not of My Spirit,In orderto addsinto sin;
But the LORDsaidto me, "Do not say,'I am a youth,'BecauseeverywhereI sendyou, you shall go,And allthat I commandyou, you shall speak.
"Let us liedownin our shame,and let our humiliationcoverus; for we have sinnedagainst the LORDour God,we and our fathers,from our youtheven to thisday.And we have not obeyedthe voiceof the LORDour God."
"Takea scrolland writeon it allthe wordswhichI have spokento you concerningIsraeland concerningJudah,and concerningallthe nations,from the dayI [first] spoketo you, from the daysof Josiah,even to thisday.
Then Jeremiahsaidto allthe people,to the menand women--even to allthe peoplewho were givinghim [such] an answer--saying,
"As for the smokingsacrificesthat you burnedin the citiesof Judahand in the streetsof Jerusalem,you and your forefathers,your kingsand your princes,and the peopleof the land,did not the LORDrememberthem and did not [all this] comeinto His mind?
"Standin the gateof the LORD'Shouseand proclaimtherethiswordand say,'Hearthe wordof the LORD,allyou of Judah,who enterby thesegatesto worshipthe LORD!'"
"Saynowto the rebellioushouse,Do you not knowwhatthesethings[mean]?' Say,'Behold,the kingof Babyloncameto Jerusalem,tookits kingand princesand broughtthem to him in Babylon.
"Speaka parableto the rebellioushouseand sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Puton the pot,put[it] on and alsopourwaterin it;
The mansaidto me, "Sonof man,seewith your eyes,hearwith your ears,and giveattentionto allthat I am going to showyou; for you have been broughtherein orderto show[it] to you. Declareto the houseof Israelallthat you see."
"But the LORDtookme from followingthe flockand the LORDsaidto me, 'Goprophesyto My peopleIsrael.'
"From the daysof your fathersyou have turnedasidefrom My statutesand have not kept[them]. Returnto Me, and I will returnto you," saysthe LORDof hosts."But you say,'Howshall we return?'
and Mosesand Aarongatheredthe assemblybeforethe rock.And he saidto them, "Listennow,you rebels;shall we bringforthwaterfor you out of thisrock?"
"You men who are stiff-neckedand uncircumcisedin heartand earsare alwaysresistingthe HolySpirit;you are doing justas your fathersdid.
Howwill they preachunlessthey are sent?Justas it is written,"HOWBEAUTIFULARE THE FEETOF THOSEWHO BRING GOOD NEWSOF GOOD THINGS!"
"You have beenrebelliousagainstthe LORDfrom the dayI knewyou.
RememberYour servants,Abraham,Isaac,and Jacob;do not lookat the stubbornnessof thispeopleor at their wickednessor their sin.
