¹³ But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets^(A) keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine.^(B) Indeed, I will give you lasting peace^(C) in this place.’”

¹⁰ Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived^(A) this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’^(B) when the sword is at our throats!”

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(C) who bought them^(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

²² Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,^(A) when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,^(B)

¹⁰ “‘Because they lead my people astray,^(A) saying, “Peace,”^(B) when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,^{(C) 11} therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones^(D) hurtling down,^(E) and violent winds will burst forth.^{(F) 12} When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”

¹³ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones^(G) and torrents of rain^(H) will fall with destructive fury.^{(I) 14} I will tear down the wall^(J) you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation^(K) will be laid bare. When it^[a] falls,^(L) you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁵ So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, ¹⁶ those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(M)”’