Woeto those who draginiquitywith the cordsof falsehood,And sinas if with cartropes;
"Also among the prophetsof JerusalemI have seena horriblething:The committingof adulteryand walkingin falsehood;And they strengthenthe handsof evildoers,So that noonehas turnedbackfrom his wickedness.Allof them have becometo Me like Sodom,And her inhabitantslike Gomorrah.
"Becauseyou disheartenedthe righteouswith falsehoodwhen I did not causehim grief,but have encouragedthe wickednot to turnfrom his wickedway[and] preservehis life,
For the landis fullof adulterers;For the landmournsbecauseof the curse.The pasturesof the wildernesshave driedup. Their coursealso is evilAnd their mightis not right.
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
For it flattershim in his [own] eyesConcerning the discoveryof his iniquity[and] the hatred[of it].
"So then,I thoughtto myselfthat I hadto domany thingshostileto the nameof Jesusof Nazareth.
"They will makeyou outcasts from the synagogue,but an houris comingfor everyonewho killsyou to thinkthat he is offeringserviceto God.
"It will comeabout at that timeThat I will searchJerusalemwith lamps,And I will punishthe menWho are stagnantin spirit,Who sayin their hearts,'The LORDwill not dogoodor evil!'
"Can a manhidehimself in hidingplacesSo I do not seehim?" declaresthe LORD."Do I not fillthe heavensand the earth?"declaresthe LORD.
Becauseyou have said,"We have madea covenantwith death,And with Sheolwe have madea pact.The overwhelmingscourgewill not reachus whenit passesby, For we have madefalsehoodour refugeand we have concealedourselves with deception."
The foolhas saidin his heart,"Thereis noGod."They are corrupt,they have committedabominabledeeds;Thereis noonewho doesgood.
He saysto himself,"Godhas forgotten;He has hiddenHis face;He will neverseeit."
Then Micahsaid,"NowI knowthat the LORDwill prosperme, seeingI havea Leviteas priest."
And the manMicahhad a shrineand he madean ephodand householdidolsand consecratedoneof his sons,that he might becomehis priest.
When Jehudihad readthreeor fourcolumns,[the king] cutit with a scribe'sknifeand threw[it] into the firethat was in the brazier,untilallthe scrollwas consumedin the firethat was in the brazier.
For they eatthe breadof wickednessAnd drinkthe wineof violence.
