Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 The LORD's word came to me:
1
The word of the Lord came to me:
2 Human one, how is the vine's wood better than the wood of all the trees in the forest?
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O mortal, how does the wood of the vine surpass all other wood— the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?
3 Can you make anything useful from its wood? Can you make a peg from it and hang objects on it?
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Is wood taken from it to make anything? Does one take a peg from it on which to hang any object?
4 If not, can it be used as firewood? Fire would consume its two ends, but its middle part would only get charred. So is it useful for anything?
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It is put in the fire for fuel; when the fire has consumed both ends of it and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything?
5 Look, even when it was whole, it was worthless. Now that the fire has consumed it, and it is charred, it's even more useless.
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When it was whole it was used for nothing; how much less—when the fire has consumed it, and it is charred— can it ever be used for anything!
6 Therefore, the LORD God proclaims: Of all the trees in the forest, I have decreed that the vine's wood is destined to be consumed by fire. So also have I decreed for those who live in Jerusalem,
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Therefore thus says the Lord God: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
7 and I have confronted them. They may try to go out from the fire, but the fire will consume them. You will know that I am the LORD, because I confronted them.
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I will set my face against them; although they escape from the fire, the fire shall still consume them; and you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.
8 I will turn the land into a ruin because they acted faithlessly, proclaims the LORD God.
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And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, says the Lord God.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.