1. Then I said,“Listen, leaders of the people of Jacob;listen, you rulers of the nation of Israel.You should know how to decide cases fairly,
2. but you hate good and love evil.You skin my people aliveand tear the flesh off their bones.
3. You eat my people’s fleshand skin them and break their bones;you chop them up like meat for the pot,like meat in a cooking pan.
4. They will cry to the Lord,but he won’t answer them.At that time he will hide his face from them,because what they have done is evil.”
5. The Lord says this about the prophets who teach his people the wrong way of living:“If these prophets are given food to eat,they shout, ‘Peace!’But if someone doesn’t give them what they ask for,they call for a holy war against that person.
6. So it will become like night for them, without visions.It will become dark for them, without any way to tell the future.The sun is about to set for the prophets;their day will become dark.
7. The seers will be ashamed;the people who see the future will be embarrassed.Yes, all of them will cover their mouths,because there will be no answer from God.”
8. But I am filled with power,with the Spirit of the Lord,and with justice and strength,to tell the people of Jacob how they have turned against God,and the people of Israel how they have sinned.
9. Leaders of Jacob and rulers of Israel,listen to me,you who hate fairnessand twist what is right.
10. You build Jerusalem by murdering people;you build it with evil.