"For from the leastof them even to the greatestof them, Everyoneis greedyfor gain,And from the propheteven to the priestEveryonedealsfalsely.
And thesealsoreelwith wineand staggerfrom strongdrink:The priestand the prophetreelwith strongdrink,They are confusedby wine,they staggerfrom strongdrink;They reelwhile having visions,They totter[when rendering] judgment.
"Because of the iniquityof his unjustgainI was angryand struckhim; I hid[My face] and was angry,And he wenton turningaway,in the wayof his heart.
IfI goout to the country,Behold,those slainwith the sword!Or ifI enterthe city,Behold,diseasesof famine!For bothprophetand priestHave gone rovingaboutin the landthat they do not know.'"
"As a partridgethat hatcheseggswhich it has not laid,[So] is he who makesa fortune,but unjustly;In the midstof his daysit will forsakehim, And in the endhe will be a fool."
"As the thiefis shamedwhenhe is discovered,Sothe houseof Israelis shamed;They, their kings,their princesAnd their priestsand their prophets,
"Whydo you contendwith Me? You have alltransgressedagainst Me," declaresthe LORD.
"The priestsdid not say,'Whereis the LORD?'And those who handlethe lawdid not knowMe; The rulersalso transgressedagainst Me, And the prophetsprophesiedby BaalAnd walkedafterthings that did not profit.
"But your eyesand your heartAre [intent] onlyupon your own dishonestgain,And on sheddinginnocentbloodAnd on practicingoppressionand extortion."
For the landis fullof adulterers;For the landmournsbecauseof the curse.The pasturesof the wildernesshave driedup. Their coursealso is evilAnd their mightis not right.
"For bothprophetand priestare polluted;Evenin My houseI have foundtheir wickedness,"declaresthe LORD.
for I have not sentthem," declaresthe LORD,"but they prophesyfalselyin My name,in orderthat I may driveyou out and that you may perish,you and the prophetswho prophesyto you."
becauseof allthe evilof the sonsof Israeland the sonsof Judahwhichthey have doneto provokeMe to anger--they, their kings,their leaders,their priests,their prophets,the menof Judahand the inhabitantsof Jerusalem.
Then allthe commandersof the forces,Johananthe sonof Kareah,Jezaniahthe sonof Hoshaiah,and allthe peoplebothsmalland greatapproached
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
"ThereforeI will givetheir wivesto others,Their fieldsto newowners;Becausefrom the leasteven to the greatestEveryoneis greedyfor gain;From the propheteven to the priestEveryonepracticesdeceit.
Becauseof the sinsof her prophets[And] the iniquitiesof her priests,Who have shedin her midstThe bloodof the righteous;
"In you they have takenbribesto shedblood;you have takeninterestand profits,and you have injuredyour neighborsfor gainby oppression,and you have forgottenMe," declaresthe LordGOD.
"They cometo you as peoplecome,and sitbeforeyou [as] My peopleand hearyour words,but they do not dothem, for they dothe lustfuldesires[expressed] by their mouth,[and] their heartgoesaftertheir gain.
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."
Thussaysthe LORDconcerningthe prophetswho leadmy peopleastray;When they have [something] to bitewith their teeth,They cry,"Peace,"But againsthim whoputsnothingin their mouthsThey declareholywar.
Nowthe Pharisees,who were lovers of money,were listeningto allthese thingsand were scoffingat Him.
not addicted to wineorpugnacious,but gentle,peaceable,free from the love of money.
But false prophetsalsoaroseamongthe people,justas there will alsobe false teachersamongyou, whowill secretly introducedestructiveheresies,evendenyingthe Masterwho boughtthem, bringingswiftdestructionupon themselves.
and in [their] greedthey will exploityou with false words;their judgmentfrom long agois not idle,and their destructionis not asleep.
