³ `Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: To seek Me are ye coming in? I live -- I am not sought by you -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

⁷ And ashamed have been the seers, And confounded have been the diviners, And covered their lip have all of them, For their is no answer, O God.

²⁴ God `is' a Spirit, and those worshipping Him, in spirit and truth it doth behove to worship.'

⁷ Then said he to the multitudes coming forth to be baptised by him, `Brood of vipers! who did prompt you to flee from the coming wrath?

⁸ This people doth draw nigh to Me with their mouth, and with the lips it doth honour Me, but their heart is far off from Me;

⁹ and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings -- commands of men.'

⁷ And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming about his baptism, he said to them, `Brood of vipers! who did shew you to flee from the coming wrath?

³¹ And in the offering of your gifts, In causing your sons to pass through fire, Ye are defiled by all your idols to this day, And I am sought by you, O house of Israel! I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I am not sought by you.

⁷ for every one of the house of Israel, and of the sojourners who doth sojourn in Israel, who is separated from after Me, and doth cause his idols to go up unto his heart, and the stumbling-block of his iniquity setteth over-against his face, and hath come in unto the prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I, Jehovah, have answered him for Myself;

⁸ and I have set My face against that man, and made him for a sign, and for similes, and I have cut him off from the midst of My people, and ye have known that I `am' Jehovah.

³ `Son of man, these men have caused their idols to go up on their heart, and the stumbling-block of their iniquity they have put over-against their faces; am I inquired of at all by them?

⁴ `Therefore, speak with them, and thou hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Every one of the house of Israel who causeth his idols to go up unto his heart, and the stumbling-block of his iniquity setteth over-against his face, and hath gone in unto the prophet -- I Jehovah have given an answer to him for this, for the abundance of his idols,

¹⁵ And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you, Also when ye increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full.

¹² When ye come in to appear before Me, Who hath required this of your hand, To trample My courts?

⁹ Whoso is turning his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer `is' an abomination.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked `is' abomination, Much more when in wickedness he bringeth it.

⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked `is' an abomination to Jehovah, And the prayer of the upright `is' His delight.

¹⁵ And call Me in a day of adversity, I deliver thee, and thou honourest Me.

¹⁶ And to the wicked hath God said: What to thee -- to recount My statutes? That thou liftest up My covenant on thy mouth?

¹⁷ Yea, thou hast hated instruction, And dost cast My words behind thee.

¹⁸ If thou hast seen a thief, Then thou art pleased with him, And with adulterers `is' thy portion.

¹⁹ Thy mouth thou hast sent forth with evil, And thy tongue joineth deceit together,

²⁰ Thou sittest, against thy brother thou speakest, Against a son of thy mother givest slander.

²¹ These thou didst, and I kept silent, Thou hast thought that I am like thee, I reprove thee, and set in array before thine eyes.

⁶ and Saul asketh at Jehovah, and Jehovah hath not answered him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.