Parallel Bible results for "Hosea 4"

Hosea 4

New International Reader's Version NIRV

1 People of Israel, listen to the LORD's message. He is bringing charges against you who live in Israel. He says, "There is no faithfulness or love in the land. No one recognizes me as God.

2 People call down curses on others. They tell lies and commit murder. They steal and commit adultery. They break all of my laws. They keep on spilling the blood of others.

3 That is why the land is drying up. All those who live in it are getting weaker and weaker. The wild animals and the birds of the air are dying. So are the fish in the ocean.

4 "But you priests should not blame the people. You should not find fault with one another. After all, your people could also bring charges against you.

5 You trip and fall day and night. And the prophets fall down along with you. So I will destroy your nation. She is the one who gave birth to you.

6 My people are destroyed because they do not know me. "You priests have refused to obey me. So I will refuse to accept you as my priests. You have not paid any attention to my law. So I will not let your children be my priests.

7 The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. They have traded their glorious God for that shameful god Baal.

8 They live off the sins of my people. And they want them to keep on sinning.

9 So here is what I will do. I will punish people and priests alike. I will judge them because of their sinful lives. I will pay them back for the evil things they have done.

10 "My people will eat. But they will not have enough. They will have sex with prostitutes. But they will not have any children. That is because they have deserted me.

11 They have sex with prostitutes. They drink old wine and fresh wine. When they do those things, it destroys their ability to understand.

12 They ask a wooden statue of a god for advice. They expect to get answers from a stick of wood. They act like prostitutes. That leads them down the wrong path. I am their God. But they are not faithful to me.

13 They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops. They burn offerings on the hills. They worship under oak, poplar and terebinth trees. The trees provide plenty of shade. So your daughters become prostitutes. And your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 "I will not punish your daughters when they become prostitutes. I will not judge your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. After all, the men themselves have sex with sinful women. They offer sacrifices where temple prostitutes earn their living. People who can't understand will be destroyed!

15 "Israel, you are not faithful to me. But I do not want Judah to become guilty too. "My people, do not go to Gilgal to offer sacrifices. Do not go up to Bethel to worship other gods. Do not take an oath and say, 'You can be sure that the LORD is alive.'

16 The people of Israel are stubborn. They are as stubborn as a young cow. So how can I take care of them like lambs in a meadow?

17 The people of Ephraim have joined themselves to other gods. And nothing can be done to help them.

18 They continue to be unfaithful to me even when their drinks are gone. And their rulers love to do shameful things.

19 A windstorm will blow all of them away. And their sacrifices will bring shame on them.

New International Version NIV

1 Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.

2 There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

3 Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away.

4 “But let no one bring a charge, let no one accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.

5 You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother—

6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

7 The more priests there were, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glorious God for something disgraceful.

8 They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness.

9 And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.

10 “They will eat but not have enough; they will engage in prostitution but not flourish, because they have deserted the LORDto give themselves

11 to prostitution; old wine and new wine take away their understanding.

12 My people consult a wooden idol, and a diviner’s rod speaks to them. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

14 “I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes— a people without understanding will come to ruin!

15 “Though you, Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty. “Do not go to Gilgal; do not go up to Beth Aven.And do not swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

16 The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD pasture them like lambs in a meadow?

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

18 Even when their drinks are gone, they continue their prostitution; their rulers dearly love shameful ways.

19 A whirlwind will sweep them away, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.