20 How terrible it will be for those who say that what is evil is good! How terrible for those who say that what is good is evil! How terrible for those who say that darkness is light and light is darkness! How terrible for those who say that what is bitter is sweet and what is sweet is bitter!
21 How terrible it will be for those who think they are wise! How terrible for those who think they are really clever!
22 How terrible it will be for those who are heroes at drinking wine! How terrible for those who are heroes at mixing drinks!
23 How terrible for those who take money to set guilty people free! How terrible for those who don't treat good people fairly!
24 Flames of fire burn up straw. Dry grass sinks down into those flames. Evil people will be like plants whose roots rot away. They will be like flowers that are blown away like dust. That's because they have said no to the law of the Lord who rules over all. They have turned against the message of the Holy One of Israel.
25 So the Lord's anger burns against his people. He raises his hand against them. He strikes them down. The mountains shake. The bodies of dead people lie in the streets like trash. Even then, the Lord is still angry. His hand is still raised against them.
26 He lifts up a banner to gather the nations that are far away. He whistles for them to come from the farthest places on earth. Here they come. They are moving very quickly.