Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
1
Doom to the rebellious city, the home of oppressors - Sewer City!
2 She didn't obey the voice. She didn't receive correction. She didn't trust in the LORD. She didn't draw near to her God.
2
The city that wouldn't take advice, wouldn't accept correction, Wouldn't trust God, wouldn't even get close to her own god!
3 Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
3
Her very own leaders are rapacious lions, Her judges are rapacious timber wolves out every morning prowling for a fresh kill.
4 Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her Kohanim have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
4
Her prophets are out for what they can get. They're opportunists - you can't trust them. Her priests desecrate the Sanctuary. They use God's law as a weapon to maim and kill souls.
5 The LORD, in the midst of her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn't fail, but the unjust know no shame.
5
Yet God remains righteous in her midst, untouched by the evil. He stays at it, day after day, meting out justice. At evening he's still at it, strong as ever. But evil men and women, without conscience and without shame, persist in evil.
6 I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.
6
"So I cut off the godless nations. I knocked down their defense posts, Filled her roads with rubble so no one could get through. Her cities were bombed-out ruins, unlivable and unlived in.
7 I said, "Just fear me. Receive correction, so that her dwelling won't be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her." But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.
7
"I thought, 'Surely she'll honor me now, accept my discipline and correction, Find a way of escape from the trouble she's in, find relief from the punishment I'm bringing.' But it didn't faze her. Bright and early she was up at it again, doing the same old things.
8 "Therefore wait for me," says the LORD, "until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the eretz will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
8
"Well, if that's what you want, stick around." God's Decree. "Your day in court is coming, but remember I'll be there to bring evidence. I'll bring all the nations to the courtroom, round up all the kingdoms, And let them feel the brunt of my anger, my raging wrath. My zeal is a fire that will purge and purify the earth. God Is in Charge at the Center
9 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the name of the LORD, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
9
"In the end I will turn things around for the people. I'll give them a language undistorted, unpolluted, Words to address God in worship and, united, to serve me with their shoulders to the wheel.
10 From beyond the rivers of Kush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
10
They'll come from beyond the Ethiopian rivers, they'll come praying - All my scattered, exiled people will come home with offerings for worship.
11 In that day you will not be put to shame for all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be haughty in my holy mountain.
11
You'll no longer have to be ashamed of all those acts of rebellion. I'll have gotten rid of your arrogant leaders. No more pious strutting on my holy hill!
12 But I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.
12
I'll leave a core of people among you who are poor in spirit - What's left of Israel that's really Israel. They'll make their home in God.
13 The remnant of Yisra'el will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid."
13
This core holy people will not do wrong. They won't lie, won't use words to flatter or seduce. Content with who they are and where they are, unanxious, they'll live at peace."
14 Sing, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, Yisra'el! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Yerushalayim.
14
So sing, Daughter Zion! Raise the rafters, Israel! Daughter Jerusalem, be happy! celebrate!
15 The LORD has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Yisra'el, the LORD, is in the midst of you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.
15
God has reversed his judgments against you and sent your enemies off chasing their tails. From now on, God is Israel's king, in charge at the center. There's nothing to fear from evil ever again! God Is Present Among You
16 In that day, it will be said to Yerushalayim, "Don't be afraid, Tziyon. Don't let your hands be slack."
16
Jerusalem will be told: "Don't be afraid. Dear Zion, don't despair.
17 The LORD, your God, is in the midst of you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will rest in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
17
Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he'll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.
18 Those who are sad for the appointed feasts, I will remove from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.
18
"The accumulated sorrows of your exile will dissipate. I, your God, will get rid of them for you. You've carried those burdens long enough.
19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you, and I will save those who are lame, and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the eretz.
19
At the same time, I'll get rid of all those who've made your life miserable. I'll heal the maimed; I'll bring home the homeless. In the very countries where they were hated they will be venerated.
20 At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the eretz, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes, says the LORD.
20
On Judgment Day I'll bring you back home - a great family gathering! You'll be famous and honored all over the world. You'll see it with your own eyes - all those painful partings turned into reunions!" God's Promise.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.