Woeto those who callevilgood,and goodevil;Who substitutedarknessfor lightand lightfor darkness;Who substitutebitterfor sweetand sweetfor bitter!
"They makenightinto day,[saying], 'The lightis near,'in the presenceof darkness.
"Keepfarfrom a false charge,and do not killthe innocentor the righteous,for I will not acquitthe guilty.
He who justifiesthe wickedand he who condemnsthe righteous,Bothof them alikeare an abominationto the LORD.
For they eatthe breadof wickednessAnd drinkthe wineof violence.
They do not drinkwinewith song;Strongdrinkis bitterto those who drinkit.
Who cause a personto be indictedby a word,And ensnarehim who adjudicatesat the gate,And defraudthe onein the rightwith meaninglessarguments.
Whosayto the seers,"You must not see[visions"]; And to the prophets,"You must not prophesyto us whatis right,Speakto us pleasantwords,Prophesyillusions.
Nolongerwill the foolbe callednoble,Or the roguebe spokenof [as] generous.
"For handfulsof barleyand fragmentsof bread,you have profanedMe to My peopleto putto deathsomewhoshould not dieand to keepothersalivewhoshould not live,by your lyingto My peoplewho listento lies."'"
[For] those who turnjusticeinto wormwoodAnd castrighteousnessdownto the earth."
"You who hategoodand loveevil,Who tearofftheir skinfrom them And their fleshfrom their bones,
Thereforethe lawis ignoredAnd justiceis neverupheld.For the wickedsurroundthe righteous;Thereforejusticecomesout perverted.
You have weariedthe LORDwith your words.Yet you say,"Howhave we wearied[Him]?" In that you say,"Everyonewho doesevilis goodin the sightof the LORD,and He delightsin them," or,"Whereis the Godof justice?"
So nowwe callthe arrogantblessed;not onlyare the doersof wickednessbuiltup but they alsotestGodand escape.'"
And He saidto them, "You are thosewho justifyyourselvesin the sightof men,but Godknowsyour hearts;for that which is highly esteemedamongmenis detestablein the sightof God.
"Ifthere is a disputebetweenmenand they goto court,and the judgesdecidetheir case, and they justifythe righteousand condemnthe wicked,
But false prophetsalsoaroseamongthe people,justas there will alsobe false teachersamongyou, whowill secretly introducedestructiveheresies,evendenyingthe Masterwho boughtthem, bringingswiftdestructionupon themselves.
