5 Then I cried out, “I'm doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.”
6 One of the flaming creatures flew over to me with a burning coal that it had taken from the altar with a pair of metal tongs.
7 It touched my lips with the hot coal and said, “This has touched your lips. Your sins are forgiven, and you are no longer guilty.”
8 After this, I heard the Lord ask, “Is there anyone I can send? Will someone speak for us?”“I'll go,” I answered. “Send me!”
9 Then the Lord told me to go and speak this message to the people:“You will listen and listen,but never understand.You will look and look,but never see.”The Lord also said,
10 “Make these people stubborn!Make them stop uptheir ears,cover their eyes,and fail to understand.Don't let them turn to meand be healed.”
11 Then I asked the Lord, “How long will this last?”The Lord answered:Until their towns are destroyed and their houses are deserted, until their fields are empty,