Ruth 1
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1In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.1In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.
2The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.2The man's name was Elimelek, his wife's name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons.3Now Elimelek, Naomi's husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
4The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later,4They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
5both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. Naomi and Ruth Return5both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
6Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland.6When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.
7With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah.7With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
8But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.8Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.
9May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.9May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband." Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud
10“No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.”10and said to her, "We will go back with you to your people."
11But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands?11But Naomi said, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?
12No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what?12Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me--even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons--
13Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has raised his fist against me.”13would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD's hand has turned against me!"
14And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.14At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
15“Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.”15"Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her."
16But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.16But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
17Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me."
18When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.18When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
19So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked.19So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"
20“Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.20"Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.
21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”21I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."
22So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.22So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.New International Version (NIV)

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Judges 21
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