The treaty you have made with death will be abolished, and your agreement with the world of the dead will be canceled. When disaster sweeps down, you will be overcome.

You will be like the person in the proverb, who tries to sleep in a bed too short to stretch out on, with a blanket too narrow to wrap himself in.

But this is what the holy God of Israel says: "You ignore what I tell you and rely on violence and deceit.

You will be shattered like a clay pot, so badly broken that there is no piece big enough to pick up hot coals with or to dip water from a cistern."

They trust a thread---a spider's web.

If they lean on a web, will it hold them up? If they grab for a thread, will it help them stand?"

The LORD has spoken: "Those who rule Judah are doomed because they rebel against me. They follow plans that I did not make, and sign treaties against my will, piling one sin on another.

You think that what you do is right, but I will expose your conduct, and your idols will not be able to help you.

All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.

For no one is put right in God's sight by doing what the Law requires; what the Law does is to make us know that we have sinned.

God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all:

This is what David meant when he spoke of the happiness of the person whom God accepts as righteous, apart from anything that person does:

Happy is the person whose sins the Lord will not keep account of !"

You say, 'I am rich and well off; I have all I need.' But you do not know how miserable and pitiful you are! You are poor, naked, and blind.

I advise you, then, to buy gold from me, pure gold, in order to be rich. Buy also white clothing to dress yourself and cover up your shameful nakedness. Buy also some ointment to put on your eyes, so that you may see.

Israel is the vineyard of the LORD Almighty; the people of Judah are the vines he planted. He expected them to do what was good, but instead they committed murder. He expected them to do what was right, but their victims cried out for justice.

but everyone else was evil in God's sight, and violence had spread everywhere.

No! You think only of the evil you can do, and commit crimes of violence in the land.

As a well keeps its water fresh, so Jerusalem keeps its evil fresh. I hear violence and destruction in the city; sickness and wounds are all I see.

Violence produces more wickedness. Nothing of theirs will remain, nothing of their wealth, their splendor, or their glory.

"Everything is in confusion ---the land is full of murders and the cities are full of violence.

The LORD says, "These people fill their mansions with things taken by crime and violence. They don't even know how to be honest.

You refuse to admit that a day of disaster is coming, but what you do only brings that day closer.

How terrible it will be for those who lie awake and plan evil! When morning comes, as soon as they have the chance, they do the evil they planned.

And so the LORD says, "I am planning to bring disaster on you, and you will not be able to escape it. You are going to find yourselves in trouble, and then you will not walk so proudly any more.

Listen, you rulers of Israel! You are supposed to be concerned about justice,

You eat my people up. You strip off their skin, break their bones, and chop them up like meat for the pot.

My people are deceived by prophets who promise peace to those who pay them, but threaten war for those who don't. To these prophets the LORD says,

Those who predict the future will be disgraced by their failure. They will all be humiliated because God does not answer them.

Listen to me, you rulers of Israel, you that hate justice and turn right into wrong.

The city's rulers govern for bribes, the priests interpret the Law for pay, the prophets give their revelations for money---and they all claim that the LORD is with them. "No harm will come to us," they say. "The LORD is with us."

Your rich people exploit the poor, and all of you are liars.

O LORD, how long must I call for help before you listen, before you save us from violence?

The law is weak and useless, and justice is never done. Evil people get the better of the righteous, and so justice is perverted.

I will punish all who worship like pagans and who steal and kill in order to fill their master's house with loot.

Its officials are like roaring lions; its judges are like hungry wolves, too greedy to leave a bone until morning.

The prophets are irresponsible and treacherous; the priests defile what is sacred, and twist the law of God to their own advantage.