3. The Lord changed his mind and said, “What you saw will not take place.”
4. I had another vision from the Sovereign Lord. In it I saw him preparing to punish his people with fire. The fire burnt up the great ocean under the earth, and started to burn up the land.
5. Then I said, “Stop, Sovereign Lord! How can your people survive? They are so small and weak!”
6. The Lord changed his mind again and said, “This will not take place either.”
7. I had another vision from the Lord. In it I saw him standing beside a wall that had been built with the help of a plumb line, and there was a plumb line in his hand.
8. He asked me, “Amos, what do you see?”“A plumb line,” I answered.Then he said, “I am using it to show that my people are like a wall that is out of line. I will not change my mind again about punishing them.
9. The places where Isaac's descendants worship will be destroyed. The holy places of Israel will be left in ruins. I will bring the dynasty of King Jeroboam to an end.”
10. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, then sent a report to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is plotting against you among the people. His speeches will destroy the country.