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New International Version (NIV) |
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1 "When Israel was only a child, I loved him. I called out, 'My son!' - called him out of Egypt.
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1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
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2 But when others called him, he ran off and left me. He worshiped the popular sex gods, he played at religion with toy gods.
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2 But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.
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3 Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim. I rescued him from human bondage, But he never acknowledged my help,
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3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.
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4 never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon, That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek, that I bent down to feed him.
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4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.
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5 Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria - anything but return to me!
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5 "Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?
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6 That's why his cities are unsafe - the murder rate skyrockets and every plan to improve things falls to pieces.
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6 Swords will flash in their cities, will destroy the bars of their gates and put an end to their plans.
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7 My people are hell-bent on leaving me. They pray to god Baal for help. He doesn't lift a finger to help them.
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7 My people are determined to turn from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them.
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8 But how can I give up on you, Ephraim? How can I turn you loose, Israel? How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah, devastated like luckless Zeboim? I can't bear to even think such thoughts. My insides churn in protest.
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8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
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9 And so I'm not going to act on my anger. I'm not going to destroy Ephraim. And why? Because I am God and not a human. I'm The Holy One and I'm here - in your very midst.
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9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man-- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
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10 "The people will end up following God. I will roar like a lion - Oh, how I'll roar! My frightened children will come running from the west.
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10 They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
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11 Like frightened birds they'll come from Egypt, from Assyria like scared doves. I'll move them back into their homes." God's Word! Soul-Destroying Lies
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11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes," declares the LORD.
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12 Ephraim tells lies right and left. Not a word of Israel can be trusted. Judah, meanwhile, is no better, addicted to cheap gods.
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12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.
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| Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved. (The Message Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
