2 Esdras 1:22-32

22 "The Lord Almighty says: There in the desert by the river of bitter water when you were thirsty and cursed me, 1
23 in spite of your insults I did not send fire upon you. Instead, I made the water fit to drink by throwing wood into the river.
24 People of Israel, what can I do with you? People of Judah, you refuse to obey me. So I will turn to other nations and make them my people. They will keep my laws.
25 Because you have abandoned me, I will abandon you. You will beg me for mercy, but I will show you none.
26 When you pray to me, I will not hear you. You never hesitate to commit murder; your hands are stained with the blood of those you have killed.
27 It is not me that you have betrayed; you have betrayed yourselves.
28 "The Lord Almighty says: I have pleaded with you as a father pleads with his sons, as a mother pleads with her daughters, or as a nursemaid pleads with her small children.
29 I begged you to be my people so that I could be your God, to be my children so that I could be your father.
30 I gathered you together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But now what can I do with you? I will banish you from my sight; 2
31 and even when you offer sacrifices to me, I will turn away from you. Your religious festivals, your New Moon celebrations, or your circumcision ceremonies mean nothing to me.
32 I sent to you my servants, the prophets, but you killed them and mutilated their corpses. I will make you pay for murdering them.

Cross References 2

  • 1. 1.22, 23Exodus 15.22-25.
  • 2. 1.30Matthew 23.37;Luke 13.34.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.