²⁵ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.

⁸ Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and ^(A)blaspheme the glorious ones. ⁹ But when ^(B)the archangel ^(C)Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing ^(D)about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ^(E)“The Lord rebuke you.” ^10 (F)But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they walked in ^(G)the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain ^(H)to Balaam's error and ^(I)perished in Korah's rebellion. ¹² These are hidden reefs^{[a] (J)}at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, ^(K)shepherds feeding themselves; ^(L)waterless clouds, ^(M)swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, ^(N)uprooted; ^13 (O)wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of ^(P)their own shame; ^(Q)wandering stars, ^(R)for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁰ and especially ^(A)those who indulge^[a] in the lust of defiling passion and ^(B)despise authority.

Bold and willful, they do not tremble ^(C)as they blaspheme the glorious ones, ^11 (D)whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. ^12 (E)But these, like irrational animals, ^(F)creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, ¹³ suffering wrong as ^(G)the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure ^(H)to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions,^[b] while ^(I)they feast with you. ¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery,^{[c] (J)}insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts ^(K)trained in greed. ^(L)Accursed children! ¹⁵ Forsaking the right way, ^(M)they have gone astray. They have followed ^(N)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(O)gain from wrongdoing, ¹⁶ but was rebuked for his own transgression; ^(P)a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

^17 (Q)These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. ^(R)For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, ^(S)speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely ^(T)escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them ^(U)freedom, ^(V)but they themselves are slaves^[d] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan ^(A)with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for ^(B)those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ Therefore ^(C)God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe ^(D)what is false, ¹² in order that all may be condemned ^(E)who did not believe the truth but ^(F)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and ^(A)the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this ^(B)evil generation.”

¹⁷ Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. ¹⁸ And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served ^(A)the Asherim and the idols. And ^(B)wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. ^19 (C)Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. ^(D)These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

Joash's Treachery

^20 (E)Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah ^(F)the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ^(G)‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? ^(H)Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” ²¹ But ^(I)they conspired against him, ^(J)and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. ²² Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see ^(K)and avenge!”^[a]