The sins of the leaders in Jerusalem

23 Yahweh gave me another message. He said, 24 “You human, say to the Israeli people, ‘WhenYahweh is angry with you, there has been no rain or showers in your country.’ 25 Your leaders are like [SIM] lions that tear apart the animals that they have killed. Your leaders destroy their people. They steal treasures and other valuable things from people, and they cause many women to become widowsby murdering their husbands. 26 Their priests disobey my laws and disrespect my sacred things by saying that there is no difference between things that are sacred and those that are not sacred, and by ignoring my laws about honoring the Sabbath days. As a result, they no longer honor me. 27 Their officials are like [SIM] wolves that tear apart the animals that they have killed: They murder people [DOU] in order to get their money. 28 Their prophets, by falsely saying they have received visionsfrom God, and by giving false messages, try to ◄cover up [MET]/say that it is all right to commit► those sins. They say, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says,’ when I have said nothing to them. 29 The Israeli people force others to give them money, and they rob people. They oppress poor [DOU] people, and they mistreat foreigners among them by not treating them fairlyin the courts.

30 I looked among them to find a man who would cause the people of the city to repent [MET] so that I would not need to get rid of them. But I did not find anyone. 31 So because I am very angry with them, I will severely punish them [MTY] for all the wicked things that they have done. That will surely happen because I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”