Isaiah 5:20
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
KJV
Væ qui dicitis malum bonum, et bonum malum ; ponentes tenebras lucem, et lucem tenebras ; ponentes amarum in dulce, et dulce in amarum !
Vulgate
Οὐαὶ οἱ λέγοντες τὸ πονηρὸν καλὸν καὶ τὸ καλὸν πονηρόν, οἱ τιθέντες τὸ σκότος φῶς καὶ τὸ φῶς σκότος, οἱ τιθέντες τὸ πικρὸν γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ γλυκὺ πικρόν.
LXX
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
ASV
ה֣וֹי הָ/אֹמְרִ֥ים לָ/רַ֛ע ט֖וֹב וְ/לַ/טּ֣וֹב רָ֑ע שָׂמִ֨ים חֹ֤שֶׁךְ לְ/אוֹר֙ וְ/א֣וֹר לְ/חֹ֔שֶׁךְ שָׂמִ֥ים מַ֛ר לְ/מָת֖וֹק וּ/מָת֥וֹק לְ/מָֽר
Hebrew
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In the original Hebrew
9 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.
Historic Christian voices
5 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.
Abba Antony said, "A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, 'You are mad, you are not like us.'"
And again, how it was said by the same Isaiah, that the Gentile nations who were not looking for Him should worship Him, but the Jews who always expected Him should not recognise Him when He came. And the words are spoken as from the person of Christ; and they are these I was manifest to them that asked not for Me; I was found of them that sought Me not: I said, Behold Me, to a…
Cross-references
- 2Pet 2:1 — But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring up
- 2Pet 2:18 — For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
- 2Tim 3:1 — This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
- Amos 5:7 — Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,
- Hab 1:4 — Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
- Isa 32:5 — The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.
- Job 17:12 — They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
- Luke 11:34 — The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
- Luke 11:35 — Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
- Luke 16:15 — And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
- Mal 2:17 — Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the
- Mal 3:15 — And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
- Matt 6:22 — The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
- Matt 6:23 — But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
- Matt 15:3 — But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
- Matt 23:16 — Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
- Prov 17:15 — He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.