For we nevercamewith flatteringspeech,as you know,norwith a pretextfor greed--Godis witness--
"Evennow,behold,my witnessis in heaven,And my advocateis on high.
"He who informsagainst friendsfor a share[of the spoil], The eyesof his childrenalso will languish.
He who goesabout as a slandererrevealssecrets,Therefore do not associatewith a gossip.
A lyingtonguehatesthose it crushes,And a flatteringmouthworksruin.
He who rebukesa manwill afterwardfind[more] favorThanhe who flatterswith the tongue.
Whosayto the seers,"You must not see[visions"]; And to the prophets,"You must not prophesyto us whatis right,Speakto us pleasantwords,Prophesyillusions.
And the dogsare greedy,they are not satisfied.And they are shepherdswho havenounderstanding;They have allturnedto their own way,Eachoneto his unjustgain,to the lastone.
"For from the leastof them even to the greatestof them, Everyoneis greedyfor gain,And from the propheteven to the priestEveryonedealsfalsely.
"ThereforeI will givetheir wivesto others,Their fieldsto newowners;Becausefrom the leasteven to the greatestEveryoneis greedyfor gain;From the propheteven to the priestEveryonepracticesdeceit.
Thussaysthe LORDconcerningthe prophetswho leadmy peopleastray;When they have [something] to bitewith their teeth,They cry,"Peace,"But againsthim whoputsnothingin their mouthsThey declareholywar.
"Ohthat there were one among you who would shutthe gates,that you might not uselesslykindle[fire on] My altar!I am not pleasedwith you," saysthe LORDof hosts,"norwill I acceptan offeringfrom you.
And they senttheir disciplesto Him, along with the Herodians,saying,"Teacher,we knowthat You are truthfuland teachthe wayof Godin truth,and deferto no one;for You are not partialto any.
"But woeto you, scribesand Pharisees,hypocrites,becauseyou shutoff the kingdomof heavenfrom people;for you do not enterin yourselves,nordo you allowthosewho are enteringto goin.
"I have covetedno one'ssilverorgoldorclothes.
For God,whomI servein my spiritin the [preaching of the] gospelof His Son,is my witness[as to] howunceasinglyI makementionof you,
For such menare slaves,not of our LordChristbut of their ownappetites;and by their smoothand flattering speechthey deceivethe heartsof the unsuspecting.
I am tellingthe truthin Christ,I am not lying,my consciencetestifieswith me in the HolySpirit,
[Certainly] I have not taken advantageof you throughanyof those whomI have sentto you, have I?
For we are not likemany,peddlingthe wordof God,but as from sincerity,but as from God,we speakin Christin the sightof God.
but we have renouncedthe things hiddenbecause of shame,not walkingin craftinessoradulteratingthe wordof God,but by the manifestationof truthcommendingourselvesto everyman'sconsciencein the sightof God.
Make roomfor us [in your hearts]; we wrongednoone,we corruptedno one,we took advantageof no one.
(Nowin whatI am writingto you, I assureyou beforeGodthat I am not lying.)
You are witnesses,and [so is] God,howdevoutlyand uprightlyand blamelesslywe behavedtoward you believers;
not addicted to wineorpugnacious,but gentle,peaceable,free from the love of money.
Deaconslikewise[must be] men of dignity,not double-tongued,oraddictedto muchwineorfond of sordid gain,
For the overseermustbe above reproachas God'ssteward,not self-willed,not quick-tempered,not addicted to wine,not pugnacious,not fond of sordid gain,
shepherdthe flockof Godamongyou, exercising oversightnot under compulsion,but voluntarily,accordingto [the will of] God;and not for sordid gain,but with eagerness;
For speakingout arrogant[words] of vanitythey enticeby fleshlydesires,by sensuality,thosewho barelyescapefrom the ones who livein error,
and in [their] greedthey will exploityou with false words;their judgmentfrom long agois not idle,and their destructionis not asleep.
Woeto them! For they have gonethe wayof Cain,and for paythey have rushed headlonginto the errorof Balaam,and perishedin the rebellionof Korah.
