But here is what God says to a sinful person.“ What right do you have to speak the words of my laws? How dare you speak the words of my covenant!

但神对恶人说：“你怎敢传说我的律例，口中提到我的约呢？

但上帝对恶人说：“你怎敢传讲我的律例，口中提到我的约呢？

但神对恶人说：“你怎敢传讲我的律例，口中提到我的约呢？

但上帝对恶人说：“你怎能背诵我的律法，谈论我的约？

但神对恶人说：“你怎么敢述说我的律例，你的口怎么敢提到我的约呢？

但神对恶人说：“你凭什么讲述我的律例，口中提起我的约呢？

但神對惡人說：你怎敢傳說我的律例，口中提到我的約呢？

但上帝對惡人說：「你怎敢傳講我的律例，口中提到我的約呢？

但神對惡人說：「你怎敢傳講我的律例，口中提到我的約呢？

但上帝對惡人說：「你怎能背誦我的律法，談論我的約？

但神對惡人說：“你怎麼敢述說我的律例，你的口怎麼敢提到我的約呢？

對惡人呢、上帝卻說：『你有甚麼權利可以背誦我的律例，口中提到我的約呢？

但神對惡人說：「你憑什麼講述我的律例，口中提起我的約呢？

上帝語惡人曰、爾奚稱道我律、口言我約、

上帝語惡人曰、爾何假我律例、藉予聖教、

天主向惡人曰、爾為何傳述我之律法、口講我之盟約、

主語作惡者。何事研玉律。口頭誦盟約。心中存乖逆。

But to the wicked person, God says:“ What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?

But to the wicked God says:“ What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?

But God says to the wicked:“ Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant?

But God says to the wicked:“ What right do you have to recite my statutes and to take my covenant on your lips?

But to the wicked God says,“ What right do you have to tell of My statutes And to take My covenant in your mouth?

But to the wicked God says:“ What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth,

But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, And that thou hast taken my covenant in thy mouth,

But God says to the wicked:“ What right do you have to recite My statutes and to take My covenant on your lips?

But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or[ that] thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

God says this to the evildoer:“ How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant?

But to the wicked God says,“ What right do you have to declare my statutes, that you have taken my covenant on your lips,

The Lord says,“ These people worship me only with their words. They honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me. Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules that they have been taught.

But they didn’t mean it when they praised him. They lied to him when they spoke.They turned away from him. They weren’t faithful to the covenant he had made with them.But he was full of tender love. He forgave their sins and didn’t destroy his people. Time after time he held back his anger. He didn’t let all his burning anger blaze out.

“ Do you think I need any more of your sacrifices?” asks the Lord.“ I have more than enough of your burnt offerings. I have more than enough of rams and the fat of your fattest animals. I do not find any pleasure in the blood of your bulls, lambs and goats.Who asked you to bring all these animals when you come to worship me? Who asked you and your animals to walk all over my courtyards?Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me! I hate your incense. I can’t stand your worthless gatherings. I can’t stand the way you celebrate your New Moon feasts, Sabbath days and special services.Your New Moon feasts and your other appointed feasts I hate with my whole being. They have become a heavy load to me. I am tired of carrying it.You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray. But I do not look at you. You might even offer many prayers. But I am not listening to them. Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered.

No, I train my body and bring it under control. Then after I have preached to others, I myself will not break the rules. If I did break them, I would fail to win the prize.

“ There is no peace for those who are evil,” says the Lord.

Do not trust in lies. Do not say,‘ This is the temple of the Lord! This is the temple of the Lord! This is the temple of the Lord!’You must really change the way you live and act. Treat one another fairly.Do not treat outsiders or widows badly in this place. Do not take advantage of children whose fathers have died. Do not kill those who are not guilty of doing anything wrong. Do not worship other gods. That will only bring harm to you.If you obey me, I will let you live in this place. It is the land I gave your people of long ago. It was promised to them for ever and ever.

The Lord told me,“ Shout out loud. Do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Tell my people that they have refused to obey me. Tell the family of Jacob how much they have sinned.Day after day they worship me. They seem ready and willing to know how I want them to live. They act as if they were a nation that does what is right. They act as if they have not turned away from my commands. They claim to want me to give them fair decisions. They seem ready and willing to come near and worship me.‘ We have gone without food,’ they say.‘ Why haven’t you noticed it? We have made ourselves suffer. Why haven’t you paid any attention to us?’“ On the day when you fast, you do as you please. You take advantage of all your workers.When you fast, it ends in arguing and fighting. You hit one another with your fists. That is an evil thing to do. The way you are now fasting keeps your prayers from being heard in heaven.Do you think that is the way I want you to fast? Is it only a time for people to make themselves suffer? Is it only for people to bow their heads like tall grass bent by the wind? Is it only for people to lie down in ashes and clothes of mourning? Is that what you call a fast? Do you think I can accept that?“ Here is the way I want you to fast.“ Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain.Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family.

Some Jews went around driving out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to set free those who were controlled by demons. They said,“ In Jesus’ name I command you to come out. He is the Jesus that Paul is preaching about.”Seven sons of Sceva were doing this. Sceva was a Jewish chief priest.One day the evil spirit answered them,“ I know Jesus. And I know about Paul. But who are you?”Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on Sceva’s sons. He overpowered them all. He gave them a terrible beating. They ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

“ I will take note of you as you pass under my shepherd’s stick. I will separate those who obey me from those who do not. And I will give the blessings of the covenant to those of you who obey me.I will get rid of those among you who turn against me. They refuse to obey me. I will bring them out of the land where they are living. But they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

But suppose a sinful person turns away from the evil things they have done. And they do what is fair and right. Then they will save their life.

Suppose you call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law. You brag that you know God.You know what God wants. You agree with what is best because the law teaches you.You think you know so much more than the people you teach. You think you’re helping blind people. You think you are a light for those in the dark.You think you can make foolish people wise. You act like you’re teaching little children. You think that the law gives you all knowledge and truth.You claim to teach others, but you don’t even teach yourself! You preach against stealing. But you steal!You say that people should not commit adultery. But you commit adultery! You hate statues of gods. But you rob temples!You brag about the law. But when you break it, you rob God of his honor!It is written,“ The Gentiles say evil things against God’s name because of you.”( Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22)

Many will say to me on that day,‘ Lord! Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we drive out demons in your name? Didn’t we do many miracles in your name?’Then I will tell them clearly,‘ I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!’

They have left God’s way. They have wandered off. They follow the way of Balaam, son of Beor. He loved to get paid for doing his evil work.

God is spirit. His worshipers must worship him in the Spirit and in truth.”

It will not be like the covenant I made with their people of long ago. That was when I took them by the hand. I led them out of Egypt. My new covenant will be different because they didn’t remain faithful to my old covenant. So I turned away from them, announces the Lord.

Turn to the Lord before it’s too late. Call out to him while he’s still ready to help you.Let those who are evil stop doing evil things. And let them quit thinking evil thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord. The Lord will show them his tender love. Let them turn to our God. He is always ready to forgive.

People of Jacob, listen to me. You are called by the name of Israel. You come from the family line of Judah. You make promises in the name of the Lord. You pray to Israel’s God. But you aren’t honest. You don’t mean what you say.You call yourselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem. You say you depend on Israel’s God. His name is the Lord Who Rules Over All. He says,

A proverb in the mouth of a foolish person is like disabled legs that are useless.

The Lord shares his plans with those who have respect for him. He makes his covenant known to them.

“ You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye.How can you say to your friend,‘ Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye?You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.