New International Version Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. New Living Translation Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil. English Standard Version Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. Berean Standard Bible Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil. Berean Literal Bible Can the Cushite change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Are you⁺ also able do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil. King James Bible Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. New King James Version Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. New American Standard Bible “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Or the leopard his spots? Then you as well can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil. NASB 1995 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil. NASB 1977 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil. Legacy Standard Bible Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil. Amplified Bible “Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to evil and even trained to do it. Berean Annotated Bible Can the Ethiopian \that Cushite/ change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you⁺ able to do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil. Christian Standard Bible Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil. Holman Christian Standard Bible Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil. American Standard Version Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Contemporary English Version Can you ever change and do what's right? Can people change the color of their skin, or can a leopard remove its spots? If so, then maybe you can change and learn to do right. English Revised Version Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. GOD'S WORD® Translation Can Ethiopians change the color of their skin or leopards change their spots? Can you do good when you're taught to do wrong? Good News Translation 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. International Standard Version Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? Then you who are trained to do evil will also be able to do good. NET Bible But there is little hope for you ever doing good, you who are so accustomed to doing evil. Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard remove its spots? New Heart English Bible Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. Webster's Bible Translation Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleCan the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil. World English Bible Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. Literal Translations Literal Standard Version“Does a Cushite change his skin? And a leopard his spots? Can you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil? Berean Literal Bible Can the Cushite change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Are you⁺ also able do good—you who are accustomed to doing evil. Young's Literal Translation Doth a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? Ye also are able to do good, who are accustomed to do evil. Smith's Literal Translation Will the Cushite change his skin and the panther his variegated spots? Ye shall also be able to do good, being taught to do evil. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIf the Ethiopian can change his skin, or the leopard his spots: you may also do well, when you have learned evil. Catholic Public Domain Version If the Ethiopian is able to change his skin, or the leopard is able to change his spots, then you also may be able to do well, though you have learned evil. New American Bible Can Ethiopians change their skin, leopards their spots? As easily would you be able to do good, accustomed to evil as you are. New Revised Standard Version Can Ethiopians change their skin or leopards their spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleJust as a Hindu cannot change his skin or a leopard his spots, you also cannot do good because you are accustomed to do evil. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And as an Indian cannot change his skin or a leopard his spots, also you cannot do good, because you have learned evil OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, That are accustomed to do evil. Brenton Septuagint Translation If the Ethiopian shall change his skin, or the leopardess her spots, then shall ye be able to do good, having learnt evil. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Captivity Threatened…22And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed. 23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good— you who are accustomed to doing evil. 24“I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.… Cross References Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Jeremiah 2:22 Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD. Job 14:4 Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one! Psalm 51:5 Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me. or the leopard his spots? Proverbs 27:22 Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him. Matthew 7:16-18 By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. / A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 2 Peter 2:22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” Neither are you able to do good— Romans 3:12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. John 15:5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. you who are accustomed to doing evil. Jeremiah 9:3 “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 22:21 I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice. Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. Romans 3:9-12 What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. / As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. … Isaiah 1:5-6 Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted. / From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil. John 8:34 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 2 Peter 2:14 Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed. Treasury of Scripture Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Ethiopian. Jeremiah 2:22,30 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD… Jeremiah 5:3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Jeremiah 6:29,30 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away… accustomed. Jeremiah 9:5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Jump to Previous Able Accustomed Change Changed Cushite Ethiopian Evil Good Leopard Possible Skin Spots TrainedJump to Next Able Accustomed Change Changed Cushite Ethiopian Evil Good Leopard Possible Skin Spots TrainedJeremiah 13 1. By the type of a linen belt, hidden at Euphrates, 9. God prefigures the destruction of his people. 12. By the parable of bottles filled with wine he foretells their drunkenness in misery. 15. He exhorts to prevent their future judgments. 22. He shows their abominations are the cause thereof. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, A Cushite’s dark skin was a visible, permanent feature, making the question an illustration of what human effort cannot alter. Jer 2:22 Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap,… or the leopard his spots? A leopard’s markings likewise belong to its created nature and cannot be removed or replaced. Pro 27:22 Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle,… Neither are you able to do good— Judah’s long rebellion against the Lord had hardened the people so deeply that righteous conduct did not arise from their own hearts. Rom 3:12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless;… you who are accustomed to doing evil. Idolatry, injustice, and disobedience had become habitual in Judah. Their condition required more than outward reform; they needed the renewing work of God. Jer 9:3 They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth.… Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of warning and calls for repentance to the people of Judah. 2. Ethiopian Refers to a person from Cush, a region south of Egypt, known for its dark-skinned inhabitants. This serves as a metaphor for something unchangeable. 3. Leopard A wild animal known for its distinctive spots, used here as a metaphor for inherent characteristics that cannot be altered. 4. Judah The southern kingdom of Israel, to whom Jeremiah directed his prophecies, warning them of impending judgment due to their persistent sin. 5. Babylonian Exile The impending event that Jeremiah warns about, where the people of Judah would be taken captive due to their disobedience. Teaching Points Inherent SinfulnessThis verse illustrates the deep-rooted nature of sin in humanity, akin to unchangeable physical traits. Need for Divine Intervention Just as a leopard cannot change its spots, humans cannot change their sinful nature without God's help. Call to Repentance Recognizing our inability to change on our own should lead us to repentance and reliance on God's grace. Hope in Transformation While we cannot change ourselves, God offers transformation through the Holy Spirit, making us new creations. Dependence on God This passage encourages believers to depend on God for the strength and ability to live righteously. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 13:23?2. How does Jeremiah 13:23 illustrate the difficulty of changing sinful habits? 3. What does Jeremiah 13:23 teach about human nature and sinfulness? 4. How can Jeremiah 13:23 be connected to Romans 7:18-19 on sin? 5. How can believers rely on God to transform their hearts, per Jeremiah 13:23? 6. What practical steps can Christians take to overcome sin, considering Jeremiah 13:23? 7. Can a leopard change its spots, as mentioned in Jeremiah 13:23, symbolize human nature's immutability? 8. How does Jeremiah 13:23 challenge the belief in free will and personal transformation? 9. What historical context influenced the message of Jeremiah 13:23? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 13? (23) Can the Ethiopian . . .?--Literally, the Cushite. The meaning of the question is obvious. The evil of Judah was too deep-ingrained to be capable of spontaneous reformation. There remained nothing but the sharp discipline of the exile. The invasion of Tirhakah and Pharaoh-nechoh, the presence of Ethiopians among the servants of the royal household (Jeremiah 38:10), the intercourse with the upper valley of the Nile implied in Zephaniah 3:10 and Psalm 68:31; Psalm 87:4, had made the swarthy forms of Africa familiar objects. Possibly the use of leopard-skins by Ethiopian princes and warriors, as seen on Egyptian monuments and described by Herodotus (vii. 69), had associated the two thoughts together in the prophet's mind. If the king's household were present (as in Jeremiah 13:18), he may have pointed to such an one, Ebedmelech (Jeremiah 38:10), or another so arrayed, in illustration of his words. . . . Jeremiah’s four-part statement underscores human inability to cleanse or reform itself. As skin and spots are permanent apart from a Creator’s act, so sin’s stain remains until God provides a new heart through His promised covenant, fulfilled in Christ. The verse humbles the sinner, exalts divine grace, and calls us to seek the only One who can perform the impossible—making the unclean clean. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Can the Ethiopianכּוּשִׁי֙ (kū·šî) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3569: Cushite -- descendant of Cush change הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ (hă·ya·hă·p̄ōḵ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert his skin, עוֹר֔וֹ (‘ō·w·rōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 5785: Skin, hide, leather or the leopard וְנָמֵ֖ר (wə·nā·mêr) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5246: A leopard his spots? חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו (ḥă·ḇar·bu·rō·ṯāw) Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 2272: A streak, as on the tiger Neither גַּם־ (gam-) Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and are you אַתֶּם֙ (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you able תּוּכְל֣וּ (tū·ḵə·lū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 3201: To be able, have power to do good— לְהֵיטִ֔יב (lə·hê·ṭîḇ) Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing you who are accustomed לִמֻּדֵ֖י (lim·mu·ḏê) Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 3928: Instructed to doing evil. הָרֵֽעַ׃ (hā·rê·a‘) Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 7489: To spoil, to make, good for, nothing, bad Additonal Resources Jeremiah 13:23 Blue Letter BibleJeremiah 13:23 Bible Gateway Jeremiah 13:23 Bible.com Jeremiah 13:23 NIV |
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