"Son of man, what [is] this proverb [that] you [people] have about the land of Israel, which says, 'The days are prolonged, and every vision fails'?

"Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision that he sees [is] for many days [from now,] and he prophesies of times far off.'

"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done," says the Lord GOD.' "

"But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,'

"the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for [him] and at an hour that he is not aware of,

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.

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast [them] down to hell and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

"Behold, [it is] written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay -- Even repay into their bosom --

Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that [were] in the high gate of Benjamin, which [was] by the house of the LORD.

"You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, [but] you do not feed the flock.

"The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.

"And the rest seized his servants, treated [them] spitefully, and killed [them.]

For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours [you,] if one takes [from you,] if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting [them] out of the church.

It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

He was granted [power] to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due."

And on her forehead a name [was] written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

"And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth."

His watchmen [are] blind, They are all ignorant; They [are] all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

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

"[as] I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because [there was] no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock" --

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.

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:

whose end [is] destruction, whose god [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame -- who set their mind on earthly things.

[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,

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

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;

raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

"In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit [as] queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.'

"Therefore her plagues will come in one day -- death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong [is] the Lord God who judges her.