New International Version NIV
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.
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The upright man goes to his death, and no one gives a thought to it; and god-fearing men are taken away, and no one is troubled by it; for the upright man is taken away because of evil-doing, and goes into peace.
2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.
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They are at rest in their last resting-places, every one going straight before him.
3 “But you—come here, you children of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
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But come near, you sons of her who is wise in secret arts, the seed of her who is false to her husband, and of the loose woman.
4 Who are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars?
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Of whom do you make sport? against whom is your mouth open wide and your tongue put out? are you not uncontrolled children, a false seed,
5 You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags.
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You who are burning with evil desire among the oaks, under every green tree; putting children to death in the valleys, under the cracks of the rocks?
6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent?
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Among the smooth stones of the valley is your heritage; they, even they, are your part: even to them have you made a drink offering and a meal offering. Is it possible for such things to be overlooked by me?
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
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You have put your bed on a high mountain: there you went up to make your offering.
8 Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
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And on the back of the doors and on the pillars you have put your sign: for you have been false to me with another; you have made your bed wide, and made an agreement with them; you had a desire for their bed where you saw it
9 You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead!
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And you went to Melech with oil and much perfume, and you sent your representatives far off, and went as low as the underworld.
10 You wearied yourself by such going about, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint.
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You were tired with your long journeys; but you did not say, There is no hope: you got new strength, and so you were not feeble.
11 “Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have not been true to me, and have neither remembered me nor taken this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?
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And of whom were you in fear, so that you were false, and did not keep me in mind, or give thought to it? Have I not been quiet, keeping myself secret, and so you were not in fear of me?
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you.
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I will make clear what your righteousness is like and your works; you will have no profit in them.
13 When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry all of them off, a mere breath will blow them away. But whoever takes refuge in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.”
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Your false gods will not keep you safe in answer to your cry; but the wind will take them, they will be gone like a breath: but he who puts his hope in me will take the land, and will have my holy mountain as his heritage.
14 And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
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And I will say, Make it high, make it high, get ready the way, take the stones out of the way of my people.
15 For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
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For this is the word of him who is high and lifted up, whose resting-place is eternal, whose name is Holy: my resting-place is in the high and holy place, and with him who is crushed and poor in spirit, to give life to the spirit of the poor, and to make strong the heart of the crushed.
16 I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me— the very people I have created.
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For I will not give punishment for ever, or be angry without end: for from me breath goes out; and I it was who made the souls.
17 I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways.
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I was quickly angry with his evil ways, and sent punishment on him, veiling my face in wrath: and he went on, turning his heart from me.
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
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I have seen his ways, and I will make him well: I will give him rest, comforting him and his people who are sad.
19 creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the LORD. “And I will heal them.”
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I will give the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is near and to him who is far off, says the Lord; and I will make him well.
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.
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But the evil-doers are like the troubled sea, for which there is no rest, and its waters send up earth and waste.
21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
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There is no peace, says my God, for the evil-doers.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.