New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; See now and know; And seek in her open places If you can find a man, If there is anyone who executes judgment, Who seeks the truth, And I will pardon her.

1"Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And look now and take note. And seek in her open squares, If you can find a man, If there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, Then I will pardon her.

2Though they say, ‘As the LORD lives,’ Surely they swear falsely.”

2"And although they say, 'As the LORD lives,' Surely they swear falsely."

3O LORD, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, But they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to return.

3O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent.

4Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD, The judgment of their God.

4Then I said, "They are only the poor, They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD Or the ordinance of their God.

5I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the LORD, The judgment of their God.” But these have altogether broken the yoke And burst the bonds.

5"I will go to the great And will speak to them, For they know the way of the LORD And the ordinance of their God." But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke And burst the bonds.

6Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased.

6Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them, A wolf of the deserts will destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many, Their apostasies are numerous.

7“How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, Then they committed adultery And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.

7"Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me And sworn by those who are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, They committed adultery And trooped to the harlot's house.

8They were like well-fed lusty stallions; Every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.

8"They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbor's wife.

9Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the LORD. “And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?

9"Shall I not punish these people," declares the LORD, "And on a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?

10“Go up on her walls and destroy, But do not make a complete end. Take away her branches, For they are not the LORD’s.

10"Go up through her vine rows and destroy, But do not execute a complete destruction; Strip away her branches, For they are not the LORD'S.

11For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” says the LORD.

11"For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me," declares the LORD.

12They have lied about the LORD, And said, “It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, Nor shall we see sword or famine.

12They have lied about the LORD And said, "Not He; Misfortune will not come on us, And we will not see sword or famine.

13And the prophets become wind, For the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them.”

13"The prophets are as wind, And the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them!"

14Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts: “Because you speak this word, Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, And this people wood, And it shall devour them.

14Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, "Because you have spoken this word, Behold, I am making My words in your mouth fire And this people wood, and it will consume them.

15Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” says the LORD. “It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.

15"Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel," declares the LORD. "It is an enduring nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.

16Their quiver is like an open tomb; They are all mighty men.

16"Their quiver is like an open grave, All of them are mighty men.

17And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread, Which your sons and daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds; They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; They shall destroy your fortified cities, In which you trust, with the sword.

17"They will devour your harvest and your food; They will devour your sons and your daughters; They will devour your flocks and your herds; They will devour your vines and your fig trees; They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust.

18“Nevertheless in those days,” says the LORD, “I will not make a complete end of you.

18"Yet even in those days," declares the LORD, "I will not make you a complete destruction.

19And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the LORD our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’

19"It shall come about when they say, 'Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' then you shall say to them, 'As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'

20“Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying,

20"Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying,

21‘Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not:

21'Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear.

22Do you not fear Me?’ says the LORD. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.

22'Do you not fear Me?' declares the LORD. 'Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it.

23But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed.

23'But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; They have turned aside and departed.

24They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”

24'They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest."

25Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.

25'Your iniquities have turned these away, And your sins have withheld good from you.

26‘For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.

26'For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch men.

27As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.

27'Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich.

28They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.

28'They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.

29Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the LORD. ‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’

29Shall I not punish these people?' declares the LORD, 'On a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?'

30“An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land:

30"An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land:

31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

31The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org