Thereforeit is not surprisingifhis servantsalsodisguisethemselves as servantsof righteousness,whoseendwill be accordingto their deeds.
Then his servantscamenearand spoketo him and said,"My father,had the prophettoldyou [to do some] greatthing,would you not have done[it]? Howmuchmore[then], whenhe saysto you, 'Wash,and be clean'?"
thereforethussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am about to punishShemaiahthe Nehelamiteand his descendants;he will not haveanyonelivingamongthispeople,and he will not seethe goodthat I am about to doto My people,"declaresthe LORD,"becausehe has preachedrebellionagainstthe LORD."'"
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
"Becauseyou disheartenedthe righteouswith falsehoodwhen I did not causehim grief,but have encouragedthe wickednot to turnfrom his wickedway[and] preservehis life,
and said,"You who are fullof alldeceitand fraud,you sonof the devil,you enemyof allrighteousness,will you not ceaseto make crookedthe straightwaysof the Lord?
whoWILL RENDERTO EACH PERSONACCORDINGTO HIS DEEDS:
And why not [say] (as we are slanderously reportedand as someclaimthat we say),"Let us doevilthat goodmay come"? Their condemnationis just.
Ifwe sowedspiritual thingsin you, is it too muchifwe reapmaterial thingsfrom you?
For such menare false apostles,deceitfulworkers,disguisingthemselves as apostlesof Christ.
Are they servantsof Christ?--I speakas if insane--I more so;in far morelabors,in far moreimprisonments,beatentimes without number,oftenin danger of death.
For ifthe ministryof condemnationhas glory,muchmoredoes the ministryof righteousnessaboundin glory.
For our struggleis not againstfleshand blood,but againstthe rulers,againstthe powers,againstthe world forcesof thisdarkness,againstthe spiritual[forces] of wickednessin the heavenly[places].
whoseendis destruction,whosegodis [their] appetite,and [whose] gloryis in their shame,who set their mindson earthly things.
and in [their] greedthey will exploityou with false words;their judgmentfrom long agois not idle,and their destructionis not asleep.
For certainpersonshave crept in unnoticed,thosewho were longbeforehand markedout for thiscondemnation,ungodly personswho turnthe graceof our Godinto licentiousnessand denyour onlyMasterand Lord,JesusChrist.
And he deceivesthosewho dwellon the earthbecauseof the signswhichit was givenhim to performin the presenceof the beast,tellingthosewho dwellon the earthto makean imageto the beastwhohadthe woundof the swordand has come to life.
And the beastwhichI sawwas likea leopard,and his feetwere like[those] of a bear,and his mouthlikethe mouthof a lion.And the dragongavehim his powerand his throneand greatauthority.
They haveas kingoverthem, the angelof the abyss;his namein Hebrewis Abaddon,and in the Greekhe hasthe nameApollyon.
