and that they may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they are estranged and backward.
I said, “Surely you will fear Me; and you will receive correction.” So her dwelling will not be cut off, according to all that I have appointed against her. But they were more eager to corrupt all their deeds.
A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” So He left them and departed.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who has warned you to escape from the wrath to come?
For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you, and disaster will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands.”
He said: I will hide My face from them; I will see what their end will be, for they are a very perverse generation, children in whom there is no loyalty.
When you produce children and grandchildren and you have remained a long time in the land, and you corrupt yourselves and make a graven image, or the likeness of anything, and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God, to provoke Him to anger,
that you may be blameless and harmless, sons of God, without fault, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.
When the judge died, the people turned back and acted more wickedly than their fathers, pursuing other gods to serve and worship them. They would not give up their practices and obstinate ways.