Isaiah 9:16-18

Contemporary English Version

¹⁶ They had led the nation down the wrong path, and the people were confused. ¹⁷ The Lord was angry with his people and kept punishing them, because they had turned against him.^[a] They were evil and spoke foolishly. That's why he did not have pity on their young people or on their widows and orphans.

¹⁸ Evil had spread like a raging forest fire sending thornbushes up in smoke.