Ezekiel 24:3-14

And tell a story to the people who refuse to obey me. Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Put on the pot; put it on and pour water in it. Put in the pieces of meat, the best pieces—the legs and the shoulders. Fill it with the best bones. Take the best of the flock, and pile wood under the pot. Boil the pieces of meat until even the bones are cooked. “ ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: How terrible it will be for the city of murderers! How terrible it will be for the rusty pot whose rust will not come off! Take the meat out of it, piece by piece. Don’t choose any special piece. “ ‘The blood from her killings is still in the city. She poured the blood on the bare rock. She did not pour it on the ground where dust would cover it. To stir up my anger and revenge, I put the blood she spilled on the bare rock so it will not be covered. “ ‘So this is what the Lord GOD says: How terrible it will be for the city of murderers! I myself will pile the wood high for burning. Pile up the wood and light the fire. Finish cooking the meat. Mix in the spices, and let the bones burn. Then set the empty pot on the coals so it may become hot and its copper sides glow. The dirty scum stuck inside it may then melt and its rust burn away. But efforts to clean the pot have failed. Its heavy rust cannot be removed, even in the fire. “ ‘By your sinful action you have become unclean. I wanted to cleanse you, but you are still unclean. You will never be cleansed from your sin until my anger against you is carried out. “ ‘I, the LORD, have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back punishment or feel pity or change my mind. I will judge you by your ways and actions, says the Lord GOD.’ ”