They have liedabout the LORDAnd said,"Not He; Misfortunewill not comeon us, And we will not seeswordor famine.
but they [continually] mockedthe messengersof God,despisedHis wordsand scoffedat His prophets,untilthe wrathof the LORDaroseagainst His people,untiltherewas noremedy.
He saysto himself,"I will not be moved;Throughout allgenerationsI will not be in adversity."
The foolhas saidin his heart,"Thereis noGod."They are corrupt,they have committedabominabledeeds;Thereis noonewho doesgood.
That I not be fulland deny[You] and say,"Whois the LORD?"Or that I not be in wantand steal,And profanethe nameof my God.
Are thereanyamong the idolsof the nationswho giverain?Orcan the heavensgrantshowers?Is it not You, O LORDour God?Therefore we hopein You, For You are the one who has doneallthesethings.
"They did not say,'Whereis the LORDWho broughtus up out of the landof Egypt,Who ledus through the wilderness,Through a landof desertsand of pits,Through a landof droughtand of deepdarkness,Through a landthat noonecrossedAnd wherenomandwelt?'
I am also going to bringbackto thisplaceJeconiahthe sonof Jehoiakim,kingof Judah,and allthe exilesof Judahwho wentto Babylon,'declaresthe LORD,'for I will breakthe yokeof the kingof Babylon.'"
Then I said,"Ah,LordGOD!SurelyYou have utterlydeceivedthispeopleand Jerusalem,saying,You will havepeace;whereas a swordtouchesthe throat."
But as soon as Jeremiah,whomthe LORDtheir Godhad sent,had finishedtellingallthe peopleallthe wordsof the LORDtheir God--that is, allthesewords--
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
"They have healedthe brokennessof My peoplesuperficially,Saying,'Peace,peace,'But thereis nopeace.
"They seefalsehoodand lyingdivinationwho are saying,'The LORDdeclares,'when the LORDhas not sentthem; yet they hopefor the fulfillmentof [their] word.
"Ifa manwalkingafter windand falsehoodHad toldlies[and said], 'I will speakout to you concerning wineand liquor,'He would be spokesmanto thispeople.
Her leaderspronouncejudgmentfor a bribe,Her priestsinstructfor a priceAnd her prophetsdivinefor money.Yet they leanon the LORDsaying,"Is not the LORDin our midst?Calamitywill not comeupon us."
"It shall be when he hearsthe wordsof thiscurse,that he will boast,saying,'I havepeacethoughI walkin the stubbornnessof my heartin orderto destroythe watered[land] with the dry.'
The one who believesin the Sonof Godhasthe testimonyin himself;the one who does not believeGodhas madeHim a liar,becausehe has not believedin the testimonythat Godhas givenconcerningHis Son.
"Watch,ifit goesup by the wayof its own territoryto Beth-shemesh,then He has doneus thisgreatevil.But ifnot, then we will knowthat it was not His handthat struckus; it happenedto us by chance."
