Parallel Bible results for "jeremiah 2"

Jeremiah 2

New Century Version NCV

1 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

2 "Go and speak to the people of Jerusalem, saying: This is what the Lord says: 'I remember how faithful you were to me when you were a young nation. You loved me like a young bride. You followed me through the desert, a land that had never been planted.

3 The people of Israel were holy to the Lord, like the first fruits from his harvest. Those who tried to hurt Israel were judged guilty. Disasters struck them,'" says the Lord.

4 Hear the word of the Lord, family of Jacob, all you family groups of Israel.

5 This is what the Lord says: "I was fair to your ancestors, so why did they turn away from me? Your ancestors worshiped useless idols and became useless themselves.

6 Your ancestors didn't say, 'Where is the Lord who brought us out of Egypt? He led us through the desert, through a dry and rocky land, through a dark and dangerous land. He led us where no one travels or lives.'

7 I brought you into a fertile land so you could eat its fruit and produce. But you came and made my land unclean; you made it a hateful place.

8 The priests didn't ask, 'Where is the Lord?' The people who know the teachings didn't know me. The leaders turned against me. and worshiped useless idols.

9 "So now I will again tell what I have against you," says the Lord. "And I will tell what I have against your grandchildren.

10 Go across the sea to the island of Cyprus and see. Send someone to the land of Kedar to look closely. See if there has ever been anything like this.

11 Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? (Of course, its gods are not really gods at all.) for idols worth nothing.

12 Skies, be shocked at the things that have happened and shake with great fear!" says the Lord.

13 "My people have done two evils: They have turned away from me, the spring of living water. And they have dug their own wells, which are broken wells that cannot hold water.

14 Have the people of Israel become slaves? Have they become like someone who was born a slave? Why were they taken captive?

15 Enemies have roared like lions at Israel; they have growled at Israel. They have destroyed the land of Israel. The cities of Israel lie in ruins, and all the people have left.

16 The men from the cities of Memphis and Tahpanhes have disgraced you by shaving the top of your head.

17 Haven't you brought this on yourselves by turning away from the Lord your God when he was leading you in the right way?

18 It did not help to go to Egypt and drink from the Shihor River. and drink from the Euphrates River.

19 Your evil will bring punishment to you, and the wrong you have done will teach you a lesson. Think about it and understand that it is a terrible evil to turn away from the Lord your God. It is wrong not to fear me," says the Lord God All-Powerful.

20 "Long ago you refused to obey me as an ox breaks its yoke. You broke the ropes I used to hold you and said, 'I will not serve you!' In fact, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

21 But I planted you as a special vine, as a very good seed. How then did you turn into a wild vine that grows bad fruit?

22 Although you wash yourself with cleanser and use much soap, I can still see the stain of your guilt," says the Lord God.

23 "How can you say to me, 'I am not guilty. Look at the things you did in the valley. Think about what you have done. You are like a she-camel in mating season that runs from place to place.

24 You are like a wild donkey that lives in the desert and sniffs the wind at mating time. At that time who can hold her back? Any male who chases her will easily catch her; at mating time, it is easy to find her.

25 Don't run until your feet are bare or until your throat is dry. But you say, 'It's no use! I love those other gods, and I must chase them!'

26 "A thief is ashamed when someone catches him stealing. In the same way, the family of Israel is ashamed -- they, their kings, their officers, their priests, and their prophets.

27 They say to things of wood, 'You are my father,' and to idols of stone, 'You gave birth to me.' Those people won't look at me; they have turned their backs to me. But when they get into trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!'

28 Where are the idols you made for yourselves? Let them come and save you when you are in trouble! People of Judah, you have as many idols as you have towns!

29 "Why do you complain to me? All of you have turned against me," says the Lord.

30 "I punished your people, but it did not help. They didn't come back when they were punished. With your swords you killed your prophets like a hungry lion.

31 "People of Judah, pay attention to the word of the Lord: or like a dark and dangerous land? Why do my people say, 'We are free to wander. We won't come to you anymore'?

32 A young woman does not forget her jewelry, and a bride does not forget the decorations for her dress. But my people have forgotten me for more days than can be counted.

33 You really know how to chase after love. Even the worst women can learn evil ways from you.

34 Even on your clothes you have the blood of poor and innocent people, but they weren't thieves you caught breaking in. You do all these things,

35 but you say, 'I am innocent. God is not angry with me.' But I will judge you guilty of lying, because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

36 It is so easy for you to change your mind. Even Egypt will let you down, as Assyria let you down.

37 You will eventually leave that place with your hands on your head, like captives. You trusted those countries, but you will not be helped by them, because the Lord has rejected them.

Good News Translation GNT

1 The Lord told me

2 to proclaim this message to everyone in Jerusalem. "I remember how faithful you were when you were young, how you loved me when we were first married; you followed me through the desert, through a land that had not been planted.

3 Israel, you belonged to me alone; you were my sacred possession. I sent suffering and disaster on everyone who hurt you. I, the Lord, have spoken."

4 Listen to the Lord's message, you descendants of Jacob, you tribes of Israel.

5 The Lord says: "What accusation did your ancestors bring against me? What made them turn away from me? They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

6 They did not care about me, even though I rescued them from Egypt and led them through the wilderness: a land of deserts and sand pits, a dry and dangerous land where no one lives and no one will even travel.

7 I brought them into a fertile land, to enjoy its harvests and its other good things. But instead they ruined my land; they defiled the country I had given them.

8 The priests did not ask, "Where is the Lord?' My own priests did not know me. The rulers rebelled against me; the prophets spoke in the name of Baal and worshiped useless idols.

9 "And so I, the Lord, will state my case against my people again. I will bring charges against their descendants.

10 Go west to the island of Cyprus, and send someone eastward to the land of Kedar. You will see that nothing like this has ever happened before.

11 No other nation has ever changed its gods, even though they were not real. But my people have exchanged me, the God who has brought them honor, for gods that can do nothing for them.

12 And so I command the sky to shake with horror, to be amazed and astonished,

13 for my people have committed two sins: they have turned away from me, the spring of fresh water, and they have dug cisterns, cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all.

14 "Israel is not a slave; he was not born into slavery. Why then do his enemies hunt him down?

15 They have roared at him like lions; they have made his land a desert, and his towns lie in ruins, completely abandoned.

16 Yes, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked his skull.

17 Israel, you brought this on yourself! You deserted me, the Lord your God, while I was leading you along the way.

18 What do you think you will gain by going to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? What do you think you will gain by going to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?

19 Your own evil will punish you, and your turning from me will condemn you. You will learn how bitter and wrong it is to abandon me, the Lord your God, and no longer to remain faithful to me. I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have spoken."

20 The Sovereign Lord says, "Israel, long ago you rejected my authority; you refused to obey me and worship me. On every high hill and under every green tree you worshiped fertility gods.

21 I planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. But look what you have become! You are like a rotten, worthless vine.

22 Even if you washed with the strongest soap, I would still see the stain of your guilt.

23 How can you say you have not defiled yourself, that you have never worshiped Baal? Look how you sinned in the valley; see what you have done. You are like a wild camel in heat, running around loose,

24 rushing into the desert. When she is in heat, who can control her? No male that wants her has to trouble himself; she is always available in mating season.

25 Israel, don't wear your feet out, or let your throat become dry from chasing after other gods. But you say, "No! I can't turn back. I have loved foreign gods and will go after them.' "

26 The Lord says, "Just as a thief is disgraced when caught, so all you people of Israel will be disgraced - your kings and officials, your priests and prophets.

27 You will all be disgraced - you that say that a tree is your father and that a rock is your mother. This will happen because you turned away from me instead of turning to me. But when you are in trouble, you ask me to come and save you.

28 "Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? When you are in trouble, let them save you - if they can! Judah, you have as many gods as you have cities.

29 What is your complaint? Why have you rebelled against me?

30 I punished you, but it did no good; you would not let me correct you. Like a raging lion, you have murdered your prophets.

31 People of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Have I been like a desert to you, like a dark and dangerous land? Why, then, do you say that you will do as you please, that you will never come back to me?

32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding dress? But my people have forgotten me for more days than can be counted.

33 You certainly know how to chase after lovers. Even the worst of women can learn from you.

34 Your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and innocent, not with the blood of burglars. "But in spite of all this,

35 you say, "I am innocent; surely the Lord is no longer angry with me.' But I, the Lord, will punish you because you deny that you have sinned.

36 You have cheapened yourself by turning to the gods of other nations. You will be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by Assyria.

37 You will turn away from Egypt, hanging your head in shame. I, the Lord, have rejected those you trust; you will not gain anything from them."