1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated in majesty on a high throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Seraphim[a] stood above him, and each of them had six wings: They used two wings to cover their faces, two to cover their feet, and two to fly. 3 They were calling out to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; his glory fills the whole earth. 4 The sound of their shouts made the doorposts and doorsteps shake, and the Temple was filled with smoke.

5 I cried out, “I'm doomed! I'm going to die because I'm a man of unclean lips,[b] and I live among a people of unclean lips, for I've seen the King, the Lord Almighty!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew over to me. He was holding a glowing coal that he had picked up with tongs from the altar. 7 He touched me on my mouth with it and told me, “Look! This has touched your lips, so now your guilt is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Who shall I send? Who will go and speak[c] for us?” So I said, “I'm here! Please send me!”

9 He replied, “Go and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but never understanding. Keep on seeing, but never comprehending.’ 10 Make the minds of this people insensitive; make their ears deaf and shut their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and repent and be healed.”

11 Then I asked, “How long will this last, Lord?”