But I am filled with the power of the Lord’s Spirit, with justice, and with strength. So I will tell ⌞the descendants of⌟ Jacob about their crimes and ⌞the nation of⌟ Israel about its sins.
The Spirit of the Almighty Lord is with me because the Lord has anointed me to deliver good news to humble people. He has sent me to heal those who are brokenhearted, to announce that captives will be set free and prisoners will be released.
Today I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up to the whole land. You will be able to stand up to Judah’s kings, its officials, its priests, and ⌞all⌟ the common people.
I think to myself, “I can forget the Lord and no longer speak his name.” But ⌞his word⌟ is inside me like a burning fire shut up in my bones. I wear myself out holding it in, but I can’t do it any longer.
I am filled with the anger of the Lord. I am tired of holding it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street and on the gangs of young men. A man and his wife will be taken away as well as very old people.
Your prophets saw misleading visions about you. They painted a good picture of you. They didn’t expose your guilt in order to make things better again. They gave you false prophecies that misled you.