Parallel Verses

Bible in Basic English

Cursed are those who give the name of good to evil, and of evil to what is good: who make light dark, and dark light: who make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter!

New American Standard Bible

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

King James Version

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!

Holman Bible

Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who substitute darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who substitute bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.

International Standard Version

"How terrible it will be for those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute what is bitter for what is sweet and what is sweet for what is bitter!"

A Conservative Version

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

American Standard Version

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!

Amplified


Woe (judgment is coming) to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Darby Translation

Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Julia Smith Translation

Wo to those saying, to evil, good, and to the good, evil; putting darkness for light, and light for darkness; putting bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitten

King James 2000

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!

Lexham Expanded Bible

Ah! Those who call evil good and good evil, those who put darkness for light and light for darkness, those who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Modern King James verseion

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Woe be unto them that call evil good, and good evil: which make darkness light, and light darkness, that make sour sweet, and sweet sour.

NET Bible

Those who call evil good and good evil are as good as dead, who turn darkness into light and light into darkness, who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter.

New Heart English Bible

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.

The Emphasized Bible

Alas! for them Who call evil good and good evil, - Who put darkness for light and light for darkness, Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Webster

Woe to 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!

World English Bible

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Youngs Literal Translation

Woe to those saying to evil 'good,' And to good 'evil,' Putting darkness for light, and light for darkness, Putting bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
Woe
הוי 
Howy 
woe, Ah, Ho, O, Alas
Usage: 50

שׂים שׂוּם 
Suwm 
שׂים שׂוּם 
Suwm 
Usage: 580
Usage: 580

חשׁך 
Choshek 
Usage: 78

אור 
'owr 
Usage: 122

and light
אור 
'owr 
Usage: 122

חשׁך 
Choshek 
Usage: 78

מתוּק מתוק 
Mathowq 
Usage: 12

and sweet
מתוּק מתוק 
Mathowq 
Usage: 12

References

Context Readings

Woes On The Wicked

19 Who say, Let him do his work quickly, let him make it sudden, so that we may see it: let the design of the Holy One of Israel come near, so that it may be clear to us. 20 Cursed are those who give the name of good to evil, and of evil to what is good: who make light dark, and dark light: who make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter! 21 Cursed are those who seem wise to themselves, and who take pride in their knowledge!

Cross References

Proverbs 17:15

He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.

Amos 5:7

You who make the work of judging a bitter thing, crushing down righteousness to the earth;

Matthew 6:22-23

The light of the body is the eye; if then your eye is true, all your body will be full of light.

Luke 11:34-35

The light of the body is the eye: when your eye is true, all your body is full of light; but when it is evil, your body is dark.

Job 17:12

They are changing night into day; they say, The light is near the dark.

Malachi 2:17

You have made the Lord tired with your words. And still you say, How have we made him tired? By your saying, Everyone who does evil is good in the eyes of the Lord, and he has delight in them; or, Where is God the judge?

Malachi 3:15

And now to us the men of pride seem happy; yes, the evil-doers are doing well; they put God to the test and are safe.

Matthew 15:3-6

And in answer he said to them, Why do you, yourselves, go against the word of God on account of the teaching which has been handed down to you?

Matthew 23:16-23

A curse is on you, blind guides, who say, Whoever takes an oath by the Temple, it is nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gold of the Temple, he is responsible.

Luke 16:15

And he said, You take care to seem right in the eyes of men, but God sees your hearts: and those things which are important in the opinion of men, are evil in the eyes of God.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But be certain of this, that in the last days times of trouble will come.

2 Peter 2:1

But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly put forward wrong teachings for your destruction, even turning away from the Lord who gave himself for them; whose destruction will come quickly, and they themselves will be the cause of it.

2 Peter 2:18-19

For with high-sounding false words, making use of the attraction of unclean desires of the flesh, they get into their power those newly made free from those who are living in error;

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Word Concordance

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain