So I let them do what they wanted to do.\par Israel did anything they wanted to do.\par
Isaiah 44:18 - Easy To Read Version Those people don’t know what they are doing. They don’t understand! It is like their eyes are covered so they can’t see. Their hearts (minds) don’t try to understand. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition They do not know or understand, for their eyes God has let become besmeared so that they cannot see, and their minds as well so that they cannot understand. American Standard Version (1901) They know not, neither do they consider: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. Common English Bible They don’t know or comprehend, for their eyes can’t see and their minds can’t comprehend. Catholic Public Domain Version They have neither known nor understood. For their eyes are obscured, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version They have not known, nor understood: for their eyes are covered that they may not see and that they may not understand with their heart. |
So I let them do what they wanted to do.\par Israel did anything they wanted to do.\par
Compared to you,\par people are like stupid animals.\par We are like fools\par who can’t understand anything.\par
Evil people don’t understand fairness. But people who love the Lord understand it.
A cow knows its master.\par And a donkey knows the place where its owner feeds it.\par But the people of Israel don’t know me.\par My people don’t understand.”\par
But Lord, get ready to punish those people.\par Surely they will see it, won’t they?\par Lord, show the evil people the strong love {\cf2\super [241]} \par that you have for your people.\par Surely the evil people will be ashamed.\par Surely your enemies will be burned\par in their own fire (evil).\par
The vines will become dry. And the branches will break off. Women will use those branches for firewood.
The Lord will make you sleepy.\par The Lord will close your eyes.\par (The prophets are your eyes.)\par The Lord will cover your heads.\par (The prophets are your heads.)\par
Those people have not thought about these things. The people don’t understand, so they have never thought to themselves, “I burned half of the wood in the fire. I used the hot coals to bake my bread and cook my meat. Then I ate the meat. And I used the wood that was left to make this terrible thing. I am worshiping a block of wood!”
That man does not know what he is doing. He is confused, so his heart leads him the wrong way. That man can’t save himself. And he can’t see that he is doing wrong. That man will not say, “This statue I am holding is a false god.”
Some people make statues (false gods)—but they are worthless. People love those statues—but the statues are useless. Those people are the witnesses of the statues—but they can’t see. They know nothing—they don’t know enough to be ashamed \{of the things they do\}.
“You people have escaped from other nations. So gather together and come before me. (These people carry statues of false gods. These people pray to those useless gods. But the people don’t know what they are doing.
They are like hungry dogs.\par They are never satisfied.\par The shepherds don’t know\par what they are doing.\par \{They are like their sheep\}\par that have all wandered away.\par They are greedy.\par All they want to do is satisfy themselves.\par
People are so stupid!\par Metal workers are fooled by the idols\par that they themselves made.\par Those statues are nothing but lies.\par They are stupid. {\cf2\super [82]} \par
All the people of the other nations are stupid and foolish.\par Their teachings come from worthless wooden statues.\par
Hear this message.\par You foolish people have no sense:\par ‘You have eyes, but you don’t see!\par You have ears, but you don’t listen!’\par
But people are so stupid.\par They don’t understand what God has done.\par Skilled workers make statues of false gods.\par Those statues are only false gods.\par They show how foolish that worker is.\par Those statues are not alive.\par
“Son of man, {\cf2\super [102]} you live among rebellious people—they always turn against me. They have eyes to see \{the things I have done for them\}. But they don’t see those things. They have ears to hear \{the things I told them to do\}. But they don’t hear my commands. Why? Because they are a rebellious people.
Many people will be made pure—they will make themselves clean. {\cf2\super [138]} But evil people will continue to be evil. And those wicked people will not understand these things. But the wise people will understand these things.
A wise person understands these things.\par A smart person should learn these things.\par The Lord’s ways are right.\par Good people will live by them.\par Sinners will die by them. {\cf2\super [153]} \par
You snakes! You are evil people! How can you say anything good? The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart.
You like to have praise from each other. But you never try to get the praise that comes from the only God. So how can you believe?
You don’t understand these things I say. Why? Because you cannot accept my teaching.
People did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So God left them and allowed those people to have their own worthless thinking. And so those people do the things that they should not do.
Every time they look at a woman they want her. These false teachers are always sinning this way. They lead weaker people into the trap \{of sin\}. They have taught themselves well to be greedy. They are under a curse. {\cf2\super [9]}