New International Version NIV
Good News Translation GNT
1 The word of the LORD came to me:
1
The Lord spoke to me.
2 “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest?
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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 Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things 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 And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?
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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 If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?
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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 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in 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 I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the LORD.
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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 I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign 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.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.