⁸ “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. ^(A)Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and ^(B)eat what I give you.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, ^(A)“Take and ^(B)eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”

3 And he said to me, ^(A)“Son of man, eat whatever you find here. ^(B)Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. ³ And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” ^(C)Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth ^(D)as sweet as honey.

³ not ^(A)domineering over those in your charge, but ^(B)being examples to the flock.

^14 (A)Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you ^(B)by prophecy when the council of elders ^(C)laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,^[a] so that ^(D)all may see your progress. ^16 (E)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^(F)both yourself and ^(G)your hearers.

¹⁰ Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, ^(A)all my words that I shall speak to you receive ^(B)in your heart, and hear with your ears.

²¹ And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, ²² but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’”