but they [continually] mockedthe messengersof God,despisedHis wordsand scoffedat His prophets,untilthe wrathof the LORDaroseagainst His people,untiltherewas noremedy.
Then he wentup from thereto Bethel;and as he was goingup by the way,youngladscameout from the cityand mockedhim and saidto him, "Goup, you baldhead;goup, you baldhead!"
So HanuntookDavid'sservantsand shavedthem and cutofftheir garmentsin the middleas faras their hips,and sentthem away.
Yet He sentprophetsto them to bringthem backto the LORD;though they testifiedagainst them, they would not listen.
So the courierspassedfrom cityto citythrough the countryof Ephraimand Manasseh,and as faras Zebulun,but they laughedthem to scornand mockedthem.
But becauseour fathershad provokedthe Godof heavento wrath,He gavethem into the handof Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon,the Chaldean,[who] destroyedthistempleand deportedthe peopleto Babylon.
"But they becamedisobedientand rebelledagainst You, And castYour lawbehindtheir backsAnd killedYour prophetswhohad admonishedthem So that they might returnto You, And they committedgreatblasphemies.
"However, You borewith them for manyyears,And admonishedthem by Your SpiritthroughYour prophets,Yet they would not giveear.Therefore You gavethem into the handof the peoplesof the lands.
Like godlessjestersat a feast,They gnashedat me with their teeth.
O God,whyhave You rejected[us] forever?Why does Your angersmokeagainst the sheepof Your pasture?
A manwho hardens[his] neckafter much reproofWill suddenlybe brokenbeyondremedy.
Thereforehis calamitywill comesuddenly;Instantlyhe will be brokenand therewill be nohealing.
And nowdo not carryon as scoffers,Oryour fetterswill be madestronger;For I have heardfrom the LordGODof hostsOf decisivedestructionon allthe earth.
"Whatmorewas there to dofor My vineyardthat I have not donein it? Why,when I expected[it] to produce[good] grapesdid it produceworthlessones?
"Againstwhomdo you jest?Againstwhomdo you openwideyour mouthAnd stickout your tongue?Are you not childrenof rebellion,Offspringof deceit,
I will destineyou for the sword,And allof you will bowdownto the slaughter.BecauseI called,but you did not answer;I spoke,but you did not hear.And you didevilin My sightAnd chosethat in whichI did not delight."
Thiswickedpeople,whorefuseto listento My words,who walkin the stubbornnessof their heartsand have goneafterothergodsto servethem and to bowdownto them, let them be just like thiswaistbandwhichis totallyworthless.
O LORD,You have deceivedme and I was deceived;You have overcomeme and prevailed.I have becomea laughingstockalldaylong; Everyonemocksme.
For eachtimeI speak,I cryaloud;I proclaimviolenceand destruction,Becausefor me the wordof the LORDhas resultedIn reproachand derisionalldaylong.
"For thussaysthe LORD,'Your woundis incurableAnd your injuryis serious.
becauseZedekiahkingof Judahhad shuthim up, saying,"Whydo you prophesy,saying,Thussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am about to givethiscityinto the handof the kingof Babylon,and he will takeit;
"They have turned[their] backto Me and not [their] face;though [I] taughtthem, teachingagainand again,they would not listenand receiveinstruction.
Then they tookJeremiahand casthim into the cistern[of] Malchijahthe king'sson,whichwas in the courtof the guardhouse;and they letJeremiahdownwith ropes.Now in the cisterntherewas nowaterbut onlymud,and Jeremiahsankinto the mud.
For thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"As My angerand wrathhave been pouredout on the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,soMy wrathwill be pouredout on you when you enterEgypt.And you will becomea curse,an objectof horror,an imprecationand a reproach;and you will seethisplacenomore."
"Moreover, we have not listenedto Your servantsthe prophets,whospokein Your nameto our kings,our princes,our fathersand allthe peopleof the land.
if,instead, you rejectMy statutes,and ifyour soulabhorsMy ordinancesso as not to carryout allMy commandments,[and] so breakMy covenant,
"Therefore,behold,I am sendingyou prophetsand wise menand scribes;someof them you will killand crucify,and someof them you will scourgein your synagogues,and persecutefrom cityto city,
"Rejoiceand be glad,for your rewardin heavenis great;for in the same waythey persecutedthe prophetswho were beforeyou.
Nowthe Pharisees,who were lovers of money,were listeningto allthese thingsand were scoffingat Him.
"For He will be handedover to the Gentiles,and will be mockedand mistreatedand spitupon,
And Herodwith his soldiers,after treating Him with contemptand mockingHim, dressedHim in a gorgeousrobeand sent Him backto Pilate.
The soldiersalsomockedHim, comingup to Him, offeringHim sour wine,
"Be gladin that dayand leap[for joy], for behold,your rewardis greatin heaven.For in the samewaytheir fathersused to treatthe prophets.
BEHOLD,YOU SCOFFERS,AND MARVEL,AND PERISH;FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHINGA WORKIN YOUR DAYS,A WORKWHICHYOU WILL NEVERBELIEVE,THOUGHSOMEONESHOULD DESCRIBEIT TO YOU.'"
Nowwhen they heardof the resurrectionof the dead,some[began] to sneer,but otherssaid,"We shall hearyou againconcerningthis."
But otherswere mockingand saying,"They are fullof sweet wine."
"Which oneof the prophetsdid your fathersnot persecute?They killedthosewho had previously announcedthe comingof the Righteous One,whosebetrayersand murderersyou have nowbecome;
So,he who rejects[this] is not rejectingmanbut the Godwho givesHis HolySpiritto you.
and othersexperiencedmockingsand scourgings,yes,alsochainsand imprisonment.
Yetthey did not listento their judges,for they playedthe harlotafterothergodsand bowedthemselves downto them. They turnedasidequicklyfrom the wayin whichtheir fathershad walkedin obeyingthe commandmentsof the LORD;they didnot doas [their fathers].
