⁷ And they made answer that they had no idea where it came from.

⁹ And he said, Go, and say to this people, You will go on hearing, but learning nothing; you will go on seeing, but without getting wiser.

¹⁰ Make the hearts of this people fat, and let their ears be stopped, and their eyes shut; for fear that they may see with their eyes, and be hearing with their ears, and their heart may become wise, and they may be turned to me and made well.

⁸ And as James and Jambres went against Moses, so do these go against what is true: men of evil minds, who, tested by faith, are seen to be false.

⁹ But they will go no farther: for their foolish behaviour will be clear to all men, as theirs was in the end.

¹⁰ And with every deceit of wrongdoing among those whose fate is destruction; because they were quite without that love of the true faith by which they might have salvation.

¹¹ And for this cause, God will give them up to the power of deceit and they will put their faith in what is false:

¹² So that they all may be judged, who had no faith in what is true, but took pleasure in evil.

³⁹ And Jesus said, I came into this world to be a judge, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.

¹⁹ And this is the test by which men are judged: the light has come into the world and men have more love for the dark than for the light, because their acts are evil.

²⁰ The light is hated by everyone whose acts are evil and he does not come to the light for fear that his acts will be seen.

⁷ For it is right for the priest's lips to keep knowledge, and for men to be waiting for the law from his mouth: for he is the servant sent from the Lord of armies.

⁸ But you are turned out of the way; you have made the law hard for numbers of people; you have made the agreement of Levi of no value, says the Lord of armies.

⁹ And so I have taken away your honour and made you low before all the people, even as you have not kept my ways, and have given no thought to me in using the law.

¹⁷ A curse on the foolish keeper who goes away from the flock! the sword will be on his arm and on his right eye: his arm will become quite dry and his eye will be made completely dark.

¹⁵ And the Lord said to me, Take again the instruments of a foolish keeper of sheep.

⁷ Truly, the stork in the heavens is conscious of her fixed times; the dove and the swallow and the crane keep to the times of their coming; but my people have no knowledge of the law of the Lord.

⁸ How is it that you say, We are wise and the law of the Lord is with us? But see, the false pen of the scribes has made it false.

⁹ The wise men are shamed, they are overcome with fear and taken: see, they have given up the word of the Lord; and what use is their wisdom to them?

¹⁸ They have no knowledge or wisdom; for he has put a veil over their eyes, so that they may not see; and on their hearts, so that they may not give attention.

¹⁹ Who is blind, but my servant? who has his ears stopped, but he whom I send? who is blind as my true one, or who has his ears shut like the Lord's servant?

²⁰ Seeing much, but keeping nothing in mind; his ears are open, but there is no hearing.

²⁸ And I saw that there was no man, even no wise man among them, who might give an answer to my questions.

¹⁴ For this cause I will again do a strange thing among this people, a thing to be wondered at: and the wisdom of their wise men will come to nothing, and the sense of their guides will no longer be seen.

⁹ Be surprised and full of wonder; let your eyes be covered and be blind: be overcome, but not with wine; go with uncertain steps, but not because of strong drink.

¹⁰ For the Lord has sent on you a spirit of deep sleep; and by him your eyes, the prophets, are shut, and your heads, the seers, are covered.

¹¹ And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book which is shut, which men give to one who has knowledge of writing, saying, Make clear to us what is in the book: and he says, I am not able to, for the book is shut:

¹² And they give it to one without learning, saying, Make clear to us what is in the book: and he says, I have no knowledge of writing.

¹¹ Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see: let them see ... yes, your haters will be burned up in the fire.

³ Having first of all the knowledge that in the last days there will be men who, ruled by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things,