New King James Version NKJV
New International Version NIV
1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
1
The word of the LORD came to me:
2 "Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?
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“Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest?
3 Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on?
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Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on?
4 Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work?
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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?
5 Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?
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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?
6 "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;
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“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.
7 and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.
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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.
8 Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,' says the Lord God."
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I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.