Then he said to me,“ The sins of the people of Israel and Judah are very, very great. The entire land is full of murder; the city is filled with injustice. They are saying,‘ The Lord doesn’t see it! The Lord has abandoned the land!’

他对我说：“以色列家和犹大家的罪孽极其重大。遍地有流血的事，满城有冤屈，因为他们说：‘耶和华已经离弃这地，他看不见我们。’

他对我说：“以色列家和犹大家的罪孽极其重大。遍地都有流血的事，满城有冤屈，因为他们说：‘耶和华已经离弃这地，他看不见我们。’

他对我说：“以色列家和犹大家的罪孽极其重大。遍地都有流血的事，满城有冤屈，因为他们说：‘耶和华已经离弃这地，他看不见我们。’

祂回答说：“以色列和犹大人罪大恶极，遍地是血腥，满城是冤屈，他们说，‘耶和华丢弃了这片土地，祂看不见我们。’

他对我说：“以色列家和犹大家罪大恶极，地上充满血腥，城内充满不义，因为他们说：‘耶和华已经离开这地，他看不见我们了！’

他對我說：「以色列家和猶大家的罪孽極其重大。遍地有流血的事，滿城有冤屈，因為他們說：『耶和華已經離棄這地，他看不見我們。』

他對我說：「以色列家和猶大家的罪孽極其重大。遍地都有流血的事，滿城有冤屈，因為他們說：『耶和華已經離棄這地，他看不見我們。』

他對我說：「以色列家和猶大家的罪孽極其重大。遍地都有流血的事，滿城有冤屈，因為他們說：『耶和華已經離棄這地，他看不見我們。』

祂回答說：「以色列和猶大人罪大惡極，遍地是血腥，滿城是冤屈，他們說，『耶和華丟棄了這片土地，祂看不見我們。』

他對我說：“以色列家和猶大家罪大惡極，地上充滿血腥，城內充滿不義，因為他們說：‘耶和華已經離開這地，他看不見我們了！’

他對我說：『以色列家和猶大家的罪孽極而又極之大，遍地滿有流血的事，城裏滿了冤屈，因為他們說：「永恆主離棄了這地了！永恆主看不見我們！」

彼曰、以色列及猶大家、罪戾甚重、流血遍地、舉邑枉法、自謂耶和華遺棄斯土、耶和華不見之矣、

主曰、以色列族、猶大家、罪戾甚重、殺人遍地、舉邑違逆、自謂耶和華不加鑒察、耶和華已遐棄斯土、

主諭我曰、以色列族與猶大族、罪愆甚重、殺人徧地、舉邑不法、彼自謂主已離棄斯地、主必不鑒察、

He answered me,“ The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say,‘ The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’

He answered me,“ The sin of Israel and Judah is very great. The land is full of murderers. Its people are not being fair to one another anywhere in Jerusalem. They say,‘ The Lord has deserted the land. He doesn’t see us.’

Then he said to me,“ The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For they say,‘ The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.’

He answered me,“ The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity. For they say,‘ The LORD has abandoned the land; he does not see.’

Then He said to me,“ The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is full of perversion; for they say,‘ The Lord has abandoned the land, and the Lord does not see!’

Then He said to me,“ The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say,‘ The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of wresting of judgment: for they say, Jehovah hath forsaken the land, and Jehovah seeth not.

He answered me:“ The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity. For they say,‘ The Lord has abandoned the land; He does not see.’

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah[ is] exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

He said to me,“ The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of murder, and the city is full of corruption, for they say,‘ The LORD has abandoned the land, and the LORD does not see!’

Then he said to me,“ The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion; for they say,‘ Yahweh has forsaken the land, and Yahweh doesn’t see.’

But you reply,‘ That’s why God can’t see what I am doing! How can he judge through the thick darkness?

Then the Lord said to me,“ Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Israel are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying,‘ The Lord doesn’t see us; he has deserted our land!’”

“ Prepare chains for my people, for the land is bloodied by terrible crimes. Jerusalem is filled with violence.

Manasseh also murdered many innocent people until Jerusalem was filled from one end to the other with innocent blood. This was in addition to the sin that he caused the people of Judah to commit, leading them to do evil in the Lord’s sight.

Likewise, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They followed all the pagan practices of the surrounding nations, desecrating the Temple of the Lord that had been consecrated in Jerusalem.The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple.But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done.

What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their evil deeds in the dark!“ The Lord can’t see us,” they say.“ He doesn’t know what’s going on!”

I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong,but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones.Yes, you eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin, and break their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot.

“ The Lord isn’t looking,” they say,“ and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”

The wicked think,“ God isn’t watching us! He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”

Your clothing is stained with the blood of the innocent and the poor, though you didn’t catch them breaking into your houses!

I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and will turn from the way I have commanded you to follow. In the days to come, disaster will come down on you, for you will do what is evil in the Lord’s sight, making him very angry with your actions.”

who had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Lord would not forgive this.

As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time— from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.“ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.

“ Have you seen this, son of man?” he asked.“ Is it nothing to the people of Judah that they commit these detestable sins, leading the whole nation into violence, thumbing their noses at me, and provoking my anger?

Listen to me, you leaders of Israel! You hate justice and twist all that is right.You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption.You rulers make decisions based on bribes; you priests teach God’s laws only for a price; you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid. Yet all of you claim to depend on the Lord.“ No harm can come to us,” you say,“ for the Lord is here among us.”Because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field; Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins! A thicket will grow on the heights where the Temple now stands.

“ But you! You have eyes only for greed and dishonesty! You murder the innocent, oppress the poor, and reign ruthlessly.”

“ But they have acted corruptly toward him; when they act so perversely, are they really his children? They are a deceitful and twisted generation.

“ Run up and down every street in Jerusalem,” says the Lord.“ Look high and low; search throughout the city! If you can find even one just and honest person, I will not destroy the city.But even when they are under oath, saying,‘ As surely as the Lord lives,’ they are still telling lies!”Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.Then I said,“ But what can we expect from the poor? They are ignorant. They don’t know the ways of the Lord. They don’t understand God’s laws.So I will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they know the ways of the Lord and understand God’s laws.” But the leaders, too, as one man, had thrown off God’s yoke and broken his chains.So now a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will pounce on them. A leopard will lurk near their towns, tearing apart any who dare to venture out. For their rebellion is great, and their sins are many.“ How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were full. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels.They are well fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife.Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord.“ Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?

“ As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world—

“‘ Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie!Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,

Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They make many widows in the land.Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them.Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money!And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say,‘ My message is from the Sovereign Lord,’ when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them.Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice.“ I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us. Yes, we know what sinners we are.We know we have rebelled and have denied the Lord. We have turned our backs on our God. We know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies.Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed.Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice.

“ But Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed! Then they abandoned the God who had made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation.They stirred up his jealousy by worshiping foreign gods; they provoked his fury with detestable deeds.They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God, to gods they had not known before, to new gods only recently arrived, to gods their ancestors had never feared.You neglected the Rock who had fathered you; you forgot the God who had given you birth.“ The Lord saw this and drew back, provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.He said,‘ I will abandon them; then see what becomes of them. For they are a twisted generation, children without integrity.They have roused my jealousy by worshiping things that are not God; they have provoked my anger with their useless idols. Now I will rouse their jealousy through people who are not even a people; I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles.For my anger blazes forth like fire and burns to the depths of the grave. It devours the earth and all its crops and ignites the foundations of the mountains.

This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.They had followed the practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of them, as well as the practices the kings of Israel had introduced.The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the Lord their God. They built pagan shrines for themselves in all their towns, from the smallest outpost to the largest walled city.They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles at the top of every hill and under every green tree.They offered sacrifices on all the hilltops, just like the nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of them. So the people of Israel had done many evil things, arousing the Lord’s anger.Yes, they worshiped idols, despite the Lord’s specific and repeated warnings.Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah:“ Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees— the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the Lord their God.They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord’s command not to imitate them.They rejected all the commands of the Lord their God and made two calves from metal. They set up an Asherah pole and worshiped Baal and all the forces of heaven.They even sacrificed their own sons and daughters in the fire. They consulted fortune tellers and practiced sorcery and sold themselves to evil, arousing the Lord’s anger.Because the Lord was very angry with Israel, he swept them away from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained in the land.But even the people of Judah refused to obey the commands of the Lord their God, for they followed the evil practices that Israel had introduced.The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel. He punished them by handing them over to their attackers until he had banished Israel from his presence.For when the Lord tore Israel away from the kingdom of David, they chose Jeroboam son of Nebat as their king. But Jeroboam drew Israel away from following the Lord and made them commit a great sin.And the people of Israel persisted in all the evil ways of Jeroboam. They did not turn from these sinsuntil the Lord finally swept them away from his presence, just as all his prophets had warned. So Israel was exiled from their land to Assyria, where they remain to this day.

What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime!No one can tell it anything; it refuses all correction. It does not trust in the Lord or draw near to its God.Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.

Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the sins of her priests, who defiled the city by shedding innocent blood.They wandered blindly through the streets, so defiled by blood that no one dared touch them.

“ Son of man, are you ready to judge Jerusalem? Are you ready to judge this city of murderers? Publicly denounce her detestable sins,and give her this message from the Sovereign Lord: O city of murderers, doomed and damned— city of idols, filthy and foul—you are guilty because of the blood you have shed. You are defiled because of the idols you have made. Your day of destruction has come! You have reached the end of your years. I will make you an object of mockery throughout the world.O infamous city, filled with confusion, you will be mocked by people far and near.“ Every leader in Israel who lives within your walls is bent on murder.Fathers and mothers are treated with contempt. Foreigners are forced to pay for protection. Orphans and widows are wronged and oppressed among you.You despise my holy things and violate my Sabbath days of rest.People accuse others falsely and send them to their death. You are filled with idol worshipers and people who do obscene things.Men sleep with their fathers’ wives and force themselves on women who are menstruating.Within your walls live men who commit adultery with their neighbors’ wives, who defile their daughters in law, or who rape their own sisters.There are hired murderers, loan racketeers, and extortioners everywhere. They never even think of me and my commands, says the Sovereign Lord.

It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filthy with sin. Your lips are full of lies, and your mouth spews corruption.No one cares about being fair and honest. The people’s lawsuits are based on lies. They conceive evil deeds and then give birth to sin.They hatch deadly snakes and weave spiders’ webs. Whoever eats their eggs will die; whoever cracks them will hatch a viper.Their webs can’t be made into clothing, and nothing they do is productive. All their activity is filled with sin, and violence is their trademark.Their feet run to do evil, and they rush to commit murder. They think only about sinning. Misery and destruction always follow them.They don’t know where to find peace or what it means to be just and good. They have mapped out crooked roads, and no one who follows them knows a moment’s peace.

Oh, what a sinful nation they are— loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil people, corrupt children who have rejected the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

Both their hands are equally skilled at doing evil! Officials and judges alike demand bribes. The people with influence get what they want, and together they scheme to twist justice.Even the best of them is like a brier; the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns. But your judgment day is coming swiftly now. Your time of punishment is here, a time of confusion.