²⁶ then ye may begin to say, We did eat before thee, and did drink, and in our broad places thou didst teach;

² Seeing -- Me day by day they seek, And the knowledge of My ways they desire, As a nation that righteousness hath done, And the judgment of its God hath not forsaken, They ask of me judgments of righteousness, The drawing near of God they desire:

⁵ having a form of piety, and its power having denied; and from these be turning away,

¹⁶ God they profess to know, and in the works they deny `Him', being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work disapproved.