The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
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The Lord spoke to me.
2 Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any branching tree which is among the trees of the woods?
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"Mortal man," he said, "how does a vine compare with a tree? What good is a branch of a grapevine compared with the trees of the forest?
3 Will its wood be used for any work? do men make of it a pin for hanging any vessel on?
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Can you use it to make anything? Can you even make a peg out of it to hang things on?
4 See, it is put into the fire for burning: the fire has made a meal of its two ends and the middle part of it is burned; is it good for any work?
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It is only good for building a fire. And when the ends are burned up and the middle is charred, can you make anything out of it?
5 Truly, before it was cut down, it was not used for any purpose: how much less, when the fire has made a meal of it and it is burned, will it be made into anything?
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It was useless even before it was burned. Now that the fire has burned it and charred it, it is even more useless."
6 For this cause the Lord has said: Like the vine-tree among the trees of the woods which I have given to the fire for burning, so will I give the people of Jerusalem.
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Now this is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: "Just as a vine is taken from the forest and burned, so I will take the people who live in Jerusalem
7 And my face will be turned against them; and though they have come out of the fire they will be burned up by it; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord when my face is turned against them.
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and will punish them. They have escaped one fire, but now fire will burn them up. When I punish them, you will know that I am the Lord.
8 And I will make the land a waste because they have done evil, says the Lord.
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They have been unfaithful to me, and so I will make the country a wilderness." The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.