The Lord said, "These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized.

Listen to this, people of Israel, you that are descended from Judah: You swear by the name of the LORD and claim to worship the God of Israel--- but you don't mean a word you say.

And yet you are proud to say that you are citizens of the holy city and that you depend on Israel's God, whose name is the LORD Almighty.

The LORD says, "Shout as loud as you can! Tell my people Israel about their sins!

The people ask, "Why should we fast if the LORD never notices? Why should we go without food if he pays no attention?" The LORD says to them, "The truth is that at the same time you fast, you pursue your own interests and oppress your workers.

The LORD said, "Mortal man, your people are talking about you when they meet by the city walls or in the doorways of their houses. They say to one another, 'Let's go and hear what word has come from the LORD now.'

To them you are nothing more than an entertainer singing love songs or playing a harp. They listen to all your words and don't obey a single one of them.

"Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves.

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside.

In the same way, on the outside you appear good to everybody, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sins.

an instructor for the foolish, and a teacher for the ignorant. You are certain that in the Law you have the full content of knowledge and of truth.

You say, "Do not commit adultery"---but do you commit adultery? You detest idols---but do you rob temples?

The scripture says, "Because of you Jews, the Gentiles speak evil of God."

But if any do not take care of their relatives, especially the members of their own family, they have denied the faith and are worse than an unbeliever.

They claim that they know God, but their actions deny it. They are hateful and disobedient, not fit to do anything good.

Keep away from profane and foolish discussions, which only drive people farther away from God.

But keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up in quarrels.

I urge you, my friends: watch out for those who cause divisions and upset people's faith and go against the teaching which you have received. Keep away from them!

For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people.

Then we shall no longer be children, carried by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of deceitful people, who lead others into error by the tricks they invent.

Our friends, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to keep away from all believers who are living a lazy life and who do not follow the instructions that we gave them.

It may be that some there will not obey the message we send you in this letter. If so, take note of them and have nothing to do with them, so that they will be ashamed.

and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich.

Give at least two warnings to those who cause divisions, and then have nothing more to do with them.

So then, if some come to you who do not bring this teaching, do not welcome them in your homes; do not even say, "Peace be with you."

I have so much to tell you, but I would rather not do it with paper and ink; instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you personally, so that we shall be completely happy.