Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 The Lord told me to go and buy myself some linen shorts and to put them on; but he told me not to put them in water.
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Thus says Yahweh to me, Go, and buy you a linen belt, and put it on your loins, and don't put it in water.
2 So I bought them and put them on.
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So I bought a belt according to the word of Yahweh, and put it on my loins.
3 Then the Lord spoke to me again and said,
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The word of Yahweh came to me the second time, saying,
4 "Go to the Euphrates River and hide the shorts in a hole in the rocks."
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Take the belt that you have bought, which is on your loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.
5 So I went and hid them near the Euphrates.
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So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Yahweh commanded me.
6 Some time later the Lord told me to go back to the Euphrates and get the shorts.
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It happened after many days, that Yahweh said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.
7 So I went back, and when I found the place where I had hidden them, I saw that they were ruined and were no longer any good.
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Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hid it; and, behold, the belt was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
8 Then the Lord spoke to me again. He said,
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Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
9 "This is how I will destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
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Thus says Yahweh, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 These evil people have refused to obey me. They have been as stubborn and wicked as ever, and have worshiped and served other gods. So then, they will become like these shorts that are no longer any good.
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This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and are gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing.
11 Just as shorts fit tightly around the waist, so I intended all the people of Israel and Judah to hold tightly to me. I did this so that they would be my people and would bring praise and honor to my name; but they would not obey me."
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For as the belt cleaves to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, says Yahweh; that they may be to me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
12 The Lord God said to me, "Jeremiah, tell the people of Israel that every wine jar should be filled with wine. They will answer that they know every wine jar should be filled with wine.
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Therefore you shall speak to them this word: Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall tell you, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
13 Then tell them that I, the Lord, am going to fill the people in this land with wine until they are drunk: the kings, who are David's descendants, the priests, the prophets, and all the people of Jerusalem.
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Then shall you tell them, Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
14 Then I will smash them like jars against one another, old and young alike. No pity, compassion, or mercy will stop me from killing them."
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I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, says Yahweh: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them.
15 People of Israel, the Lord has spoken! Be humble and listen to him.
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Hear you, and give ear; don't be proud; for Yahweh has spoken.
16 Honor the Lord, your God, before he brings darkness, and you stumble on the mountains; before he turns into deep darkness the light you hoped for.
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Give glory to Yahweh your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and, while you look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
17 If you will not listen, I will cry in secret because of your pride; I will cry bitterly, and my tears will flow because the Lord's people have been taken away as captives.
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But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for [your] pride; and my eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Yahweh's flock is taken captive.
18 The Lord said to me, "Tell the king and his mother to come down from their thrones, because their beautiful crowns have fallen from their heads.
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Say you to the king and to the queen-mother, Humble yourselves, sit down; for your headdresses are come down, even the crown of your glory.
19 The towns of southern Judah are under siege; no one can get through to them. All the people of Judah have been taken away into exile."
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The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them: Judah is carried away captive, all of it; it is wholly carried away captive.
20 Jerusalem, look! Your enemies are coming down from the north! Where are the people entrusted to your care, your people you were so proud of?
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Lift up your eyes, and see those who come from the north: where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?
21 What will you say when people you thought were your friends conquer you and rule over you? You will be in pain like a woman giving birth.
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What will you say, when he shall set over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? shall not sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?
22 If you ask why all this has happened to you - why your clothes have been torn off and you have been raped - it is because your sin is so terrible.
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If you say in your heart, Why are these things come on me? for the greatness of your iniquity are your skirts uncovered, and your heels suffer violence.
23 Can people change the color of their skin, or a leopard remove its spots? If they could, then you that do nothing but evil could learn to do what is right.
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Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
24 The Lord will scatter you like straw that is blown away by the desert wind.
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Therefore will I scatter them, as the stubble that passes away, by the wind of the wilderness.
25 He has said that this will be your fate. This is what he has decided to do with you, because you have forgotten him and have trusted in false gods.
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This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me, says Yahweh; because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
26 The Lord himself will strip off your clothes and expose you to shame.
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Therefore will I also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame shall appear.
27 He has seen you do the things he hates. He has seen you go after pagan gods on the hills and in the fields, like a man lusting after his neighbor's wife or like a stallion after a mare. People of Jerusalem, you are doomed! When will you ever be pure?
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I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries, and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! you will not be made clean; how long shall it yet be?
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.