" But come here, You sons of the sorceress, You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!

" Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use [this] proverb against you: 'Like mother, like daughter!'

"Your elder sister [is] Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, [is] Sodom and her daughters.

"Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' [guilt.]

They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.

"You are of [your] father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and [does not] stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [resources,] for he is a liar and the father of it.

Yes, [they are] greedy dogs [Which] never have enough. And they [are] shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his [own] territory.

"Come," [one says,] "I will bring wine, And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, [And] much more abundant."

Their drink is rebellion, They commit harlotry continually. Her rulers dearly love dishonor.

That they may successfully do evil with both hands -- The prince asks [for gifts,] The judge [seeks] a bribe, And the great [man] utters his evil desire; So they scheme together.

For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

[and] will receive the wages of unrighteousness, [as] those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. [They are] spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,

They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving [only] themselves. [They are] clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

For three [things] the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up:

There are four [things which] are little on the earth, But they [are] exceedingly wise:

There are three [things which] are majestic in pace, Yes, four [which] are stately in walk:

These six [things] the LORD hates, Yes, seven [are] an abomination to Him:

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron.

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver [them] up to Edom.

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because he pursued his brother with the sword, And cast off all pity; His anger tore perpetually, And he kept his wrath forever.

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of the people of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead, That they might enlarge their territory.

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because they have despised the law of the LORD, And have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray, [Lies] which their fathers followed.