4. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
5. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
6. “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
7. The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,
8. if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.
9. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,
10. if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.
11. “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” ’ ”
12. And they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.”