He reached out what seemed to be a hand and grabbed me by the hair. Then in this vision God's spirit lifted me high in the air and took me to Jerusalem. He took me to the inner entrance of the north gate of the Temple, where there was an idol that was an outrage to God.

Then the LORD reached out, touched my lips, and said to me, "Listen, I am giving you the words you must speak.

Suddenly a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster wall of the palace, where the light from the lamps was shining most brightly. And the king saw the hand as it was writing.

Then a hand took hold of me and raised me to my hands and knees; I was still trembling.

Then the angel, who looked like a human being, reached out and touched my lips. I said to him, "Sir, this vision makes me so weak that I can't stop trembling.

Once more he took hold of me, and I felt stronger.

God said, "Mortal man, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel."

Then I said, 'Here I am, to do your will, O God, just as it is written of me in the book of the Law.' "

I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne; it was covered with writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.

But there was no one in heaven or on earth or in the world below who could open the scroll and look inside it.

Then one of the elders said to me, "Don't cry. Look! The Lion from Judah's tribe, the great descendant of David, has won the victory, and he can break the seven seals and open the scroll."

Then the voice that I had heard speaking from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go and take the open scroll which is in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land."

I took the little scroll from his hand and ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey in my mouth. But after I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach.