New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel; for the Lord has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land.
1
Give ear to the word of the Lord, O children of Israel; for the Lord has a cause against the people of this land, because there is no good faith in it, and no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land.
2 Swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed.
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There is cursing and broken faith, violent death and attacks on property, men are untrue in married life, houses are broken into, and there is blood touching blood.
3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing.
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Because of this the land will be dry, and everyone living in it will be wasted away, with the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven; even the fishes of the sea will be taken away.
4 Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest.
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Let no man go to law or make protests, for your people are like those who go to law with a priest.
5 You shall stumble by day; the prophet also shall stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.
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You will not be able to keep on your feet by day, and by night the prophet will be falling down with you, and I will give your mother to destruction.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
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Destruction has overtaken my people because they have no knowledge; because you have given up knowledge, I will give you up, so that you will be no priest to me, because you have not kept in mind the law of your God, I will not keep your children in my memory.
7 The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; they changed their glory into shame.
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Even while they were increasing in number they were sinning against me; I will let their glory be changed into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity.
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The sin of my people is like food to them; and their desire is for their wrongdoing.
9 And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds.
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And the priest will be like the people; I will give them punishment for their evil ways, and the reward of their acts.
10 They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply; because they have forsaken the Lord to devote themselves to
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They will have food, but they will not be full; they will be false to me, but they will not be increased, because they no longer give thought to the Lord.
11 whoredom. Wine and new wine take away the understanding.
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Loose ways and new wine take away wisdom.
12 My people consult a piece of wood, and their divining rod gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have played the whore, forsaking their God.
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My people get knowledge from their tree, and their rod gives them news; for a false spirit is the cause of their wandering, and they have been false to their God.
13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and make offerings upon the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the whore, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
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They make offerings on the tops of mountains, burning perfumes in high places, under trees of every sort, because their shade is good: and so your daughters are given up to loose ways and your brides are false to their husbands.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go aside with whores, and sacrifice with temple prostitutes; thus a people without understanding comes to ruin.
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I will not give punishment to your daughters or your brides for their evil behaviour; for they make themselves separate with loose women, and make offerings with those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: the people who have no wisdom will be sent away.
15 Though you play the whore, O Israel, do not let Judah become guilty. Do not enter into Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear, "As the Lord lives."
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Do not you, O Israel, come into error; do not you, O Judah, come to Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven, or take an oath, By the living Lord.
16 Like a stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn; can the Lord now feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?
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For Israel is uncontrolled, like a cow which may not be controlled; now will the Lord give them food like a lamb in a wide place.
17 Ephraim is joined to idols— let him alone.
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Ephraim is joined to false gods; let him be.
18 When their drinking is ended, they indulge in sexual orgies; they love lewdness more than their glory.
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Their drink has become bitter; they are completely false; her rulers take pleasure in shame.
19 A wind has wrapped them in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their altars.
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They are folded in the skirts of the wind; they will be shamed because of their offerings.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.