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1 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
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Search every street in Jerusalem, comb the squares, look far and wide for one person, even one who acts justly and seeks truth that I may pardon her!
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.”
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Even when making a pledge—"As the LORD lives"— they swear falsely.
3 LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
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LORD, don't you look for integrity? You have struck them down, but they didn't even cringe. You have crushed them, but they have ignored your discipline. They make their faces harder than rock and refuse to return.
4 I thought, “These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.
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Then I thought to myself, These are the poor who don't know better! They don't understand the LORD's way or the justice of their God.
5 So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.” But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.
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Let me go and speak to the powerful people, for they will surely know the LORD's way and the justice of their God. But they too have broken their yoke and shattered the chains.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.
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Therefore, a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will destroy them; a leopard prowling around their towns will tear to pieces anyone venturing out— because of their many crimes and countless acts of unfaithfulness.
7 “Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
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How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me and swear by gods that are not gods. Although I could have satisfied them, they committed adultery, dashing off to the prostitution house.
8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife.
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They are lusty stallions roving about, snorting for another's wife.
9 Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
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The LORD declares: Shouldn't I confront these acts? Shouldn't I take revenge on such a nation?
10 “Go through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not destroy them completely. Strip off her branches, for these people do not belong to the LORD.
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Climb through her vineyards and ravage them, although not completely. Prune back her branches, because they aren't the LORD's.
11 The people of Israel and the people of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me,” declares the LORD.
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The people of Israel and Judah have been utterly faithless to me, declares the LORD.
12 They have lied about the LORD; they said, “He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine.
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They have lied about the LORD and said, "He'll do nothing! Disaster won't come upon us; we won't see war or famine."
13 The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.”
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The prophets are so much wind; the word isn't in them. Thus and so may it be done to them.
14 Therefore this is what the LORD God Almighty says: “Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes.
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Therefore, the LORD God of heavenly forces proclaims: Because you have spoken this way, I will put my words in your mouth as a fire; it will consume the people, who are but kindling.
15 People of Israel,” declares the LORD, “I am bringing a distant nation against you— an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand.
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I am about to bring a distant nation against you, people of Israel, declares the LORD. It is an established nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don't know, whose speech you won't understand.
16 Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors.
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Its weapons are deadly; its warriors are many.
17 They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters; they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.
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It will devour your harvest and food; it will devour your sons and daughters; it will devour your flocks and herds; it will devour your vines and fig trees; it will shatter your fortified towns in which you trust— with the sword!
18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not destroy you completely.
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Yet even in those days, declares the LORD, I won't completely destroy you.
19 And when the people ask, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’
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And when they ask, "Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?" you must reply, "Just as you have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land not your own."
20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah:
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Declare this to the people of Jacob, announce it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear:
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Listen, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but don't see and ears but don't hear.
22 Should you not fear me?” declares the LORD. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
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Shouldn't you fear me, declares the LORD, and tremble before me, the one who set the shoreline for the sea, an ancient boundary that it can't pass? Though its waves may rise and roar, they can't pass the limits I have set.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.
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And yet the people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they turn and go their own way.
24 They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
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They don't say in their hearts, Let's fear the LORD our God, who provides rain in autumn and spring and who assures us of a harvest in its season.
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
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Your wrongdoing has turned these blessings away. Your sin has robbed you of good.
26 “Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people.
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Criminals are found among my people; they set traps to catch people, like hunters lying in wait.
27 Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful
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Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of loot. No wonder they are rich and powerful
28 and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
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and have grown fat and sleek! To be sure, their evil deeds exceed all limits, and yet they prosper. They are indifferent to the plight of the orphan, reluctant to defend the rights of the poor.
29 Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
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Shouldn't I punish such acts? declares the LORD. Shouldn't I repay that nation for its deeds?
30 “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land:
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An awful, a terrible thing has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?
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The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests rule at their sides, and my people love it this way! But what will you do when the end comes?
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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible