5 I said, "Mourn for me; I’m ruined! I’m a man with unclean lips, and I live among a people with unclean lips. Yet I’ve seen the king, the Lord of heavenly forces!"
6 Then one of the winged creatures flew to me, holding a glowing coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs.
7 He touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips. Your guilt has departed, and your sin is removed."
8 Then I heard the Lord’s voice saying, "Whom should I send, and who will go for us?"I said, "I’m here; send me."
9 God said, "Go and say to this people:Listen intently, but don’t understand;look carefully, but don’t comprehend.
10 Make the minds of this people dull.Make their ears deaf and their eyes blind,so they can’t see with their eyesor hear with their ears,or understand with their minds,and turn, and be healed."
11 I said, "How long, Lord?"And God said, "Until cities lie ruined with no one living in them, until there are houses without people and the land is left devastated."