Jeremiah 5
5
No One Is Honest
1The Lord says, “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem.
Look around.
Think about what you see.
Search through the market.
See if you can find one honest person who tries to be truthful.
If you can, I will forgive this city.
2They make their promises in my name.
They say, ‘You can be sure that the Lord is alive.’
But their promises can’t be trusted.”
3 Lord, don’t your eyes look for truth?
You struck down your people.
But they didn’t feel any pain.
You crushed them.
But they refused to be corrected.
They made their faces harder than stone.
They refused to turn away from their sins.
4I thought, “The people of
Jerusalem are foolish.
They don’t know how the Lord wants them to live.
They don’t know what their God requires of them.
5So I will go to the leaders.
I’ll speak to them.
They should know how the Lord wants them to live.
They must know what their God requires of them.”
But all of them had broken off the yoke the Lord had put on them.
They had torn off the ropes he had tied them up with.
6So a lion from the forest will attack them.
A wolf from the desert will destroy them.
A leopard will hide and wait near their towns.
It will tear to pieces anyone who dares to go out.
Again and again they have refused to obey the Lord.
They have turned away from him many times.
7The Lord says, “Jerusalem, why should I forgive you?
Your people have deserted me.
They have made their promises in the names of gods
that are not really gods at all.
I supplied everything they needed.
But they committed adultery.
Large crowds went to the houses of prostitutes.
8Your people are like stallions that have plenty to eat.
Their sinful desires are out of control.
Each of them goes after another man’s wife.
9Shouldn’t I punish them for this?”
announces the Lord.
“Shouldn’t I pay back the nation
that does these things?
10“Armies of Babylon, go through their vineyards and destroy them.
But do not destroy them completely.
Strip off their branches.
These people do not belong to me.
11The people of Israel and the people of Judah
have not been faithful to me at all,”
announces the Lord.
12They have told lies about the Lord.
They said, “He won’t do anything!
No harm will come to us.
We will never see war or be hungry.
13The prophets are nothing but wind.
Their message doesn’t come from the Lord.
So let what they say will happen be done to them.”
14The Lord God rules over all. He says to me,
“The people have spoken these words.
So my words will be like fire in your mouth.
I will make the people like wood.
And the fire will burn them up.”
15“People of Israel, listen to me,”
announces the Lord.
“I am bringing against you
a nation from far away.
It is an old nation. And it will last for a long time.
Its people speak a language you do not know.
You can’t understand what they are saying.
16The bags they carry their arrows in are like an open grave.
All their soldiers are mighty.
17They will eat up your crops and your food.
They will strike down your sons and daughters.
They will kill your sheep and cattle.
They will destroy your vines and fig trees.
You trust in your cities that have high walls around them.
But the people in them will be killed by swords.
18“In spite of that, even in those days I will not destroy you completely,” announces the Lord. 19“ ‘Jeremiah,’ the people will ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ Then you will tell them, ‘You have deserted the Lord. You have served other gods in your own land. So now you will serve another nation in a land that is not your own.’
20“Here is what I want you to announce
to the people of Jacob.
Tell it in Judah.
Tell them I say,
21‘Listen to this, you foolish people,
who do not have any sense.
You have eyes, but you do not see.
You have ears, but you do not hear.
22Shouldn’t you have respect for me?’
announces the Lord.
‘Shouldn’t you tremble with fear in front of me?
I made the sand to hold the ocean back.
It will do that forever.
The ocean can’t go past it.
The waves might roll, but they can’t sweep over it.
They might roar, but they can’t go across it.
23But you people have stubborn hearts.
You refuse to obey me.
You have turned away from me.
You have gone astray.
24You do not say to yourselves,
“Let us have respect for the Lord our God.
He sends rain in the fall and the spring.
He promises us that the harvest will come
at the same time each year.”
25But the things you have done wrong
have robbed you of these gifts.
Your sins have kept these good things
far away from you.’
26“Jeremiah, some of my people are evil.
They hide and wait just as people hide to catch birds.
They set traps for people.
27A hunter uses tricks to fill his cage with birds.
And my people have filled their houses with a lot of goods.
They have become rich and powerful.
28They have grown fat and heavy.
There is no limit to the evil things they do.
In court they do not seek justice.
They don’t protect the rights of children whose fathers have died.
They do not stand up for poor people.
29Shouldn’t I punish them for this?”
announces the Lord.
“Shouldn’t I pay back the
nation that does these things?
30“Something horrible and shocking
has happened in the land.
31The prophets prophesy lies.
The priests rule by their own authority.
And my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?”
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Jeremiah 5: NIrV
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Jeremiah 5
5
Futile search for a good person
1Search every street in Jerusalem,
comb the squares,
look far and wide
for one person,
even one who acts justly
and seeks truth that I may pardon her!
2Even when making a pledge—“As the LORD lives”—
they swear falsely.
3 LORD, don’t you look for integrity?
You have struck them down,
but they didn’t even cringe.
You have crushed them,
but they have ignored your discipline.
They make their faces harder than rock
and refuse to return.
4Then I thought to myself,
These are the poor who don’t know better!
They don’t understand the LORD’s way
or the justice of their God.
5Let me go and speak to the powerful people,
for they will surely know the LORD’s way
and the justice of their God.
But they too have broken their yoke
and shattered the chains.
6Therefore, a lion from the forest will attack them;
a wolf from the desert will destroy them;
a leopard prowling around their towns
will tear to pieces anyone venturing out—
because of their many crimes
and countless acts of unfaithfulness.
7How can I pardon you?
Your children have forsaken me
and swear by gods that are not gods.
Although I could have satisfied them,
they committed adultery,
dashing off to the prostitution house.
8They are lusty stallions roving about,
snorting for another’s wife.
9The LORD declares:
Shouldn’t I confront these acts?
Shouldn’t I take revenge on such a nation?
Contempt for God
10Climb through her vineyards and ravage them,
although not completely.
Prune back her branches,
because they aren’t the LORD’s.
11The people of Israel and Judah
have been utterly faithless to me,
declares the LORD.
12They have lied about the LORD
and said, “He’ll do nothing!#5.12 Or not he
Disaster won’t come upon us;
we won’t see war or famine.”
13The prophets are so much wind;
the word isn’t in them.
Thus and so may it be done to them.
14Therefore, the LORD God of heavenly forces proclaims:
Because you have spoken this way,
I will put my words
in your mouth as a fire;
it will consume the people,
who are but kindling.
15I am about to bring a distant nation against you,
people of Israel,
declares the LORD.
It is an established nation,
an ancient nation,
a nation whose language you don’t know,
whose speech you won’t understand.
16Its weapons are deadly;#5.16 Or Its quiver is like an open grave
its warriors are many.
17It will devour your harvest and food;
it will devour your sons and daughters;
it will devour your flocks and herds;
it will devour your vines and fig trees;
it will shatter your fortified towns in which you trust—
with the sword!
18Yet even in those days, declares the LORD, I won’t completely destroy you. 19And when they ask, “Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?” you must reply, “Just as you have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land not your own.”
Shouldn’t you fear me?
20Declare this to the people of Jacob,
announce it in Judah:
21Listen, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but don’t see
and ears but don’t hear.
22Shouldn’t you fear me,
declares the LORD,
and tremble before me,
the one who set the shoreline for the sea,
an ancient boundary that it can’t pass?
Though its waves may rise and roar,
they can’t pass the limits I have set.
23And yet the people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
they turn and go their own way.
24They don’t say in their hearts,
Let’s fear the LORD our God,
who provides rain in autumn and spring
and who assures us of a harvest in its season.
25Your wrongdoing has turned these blessings#5.25 Heb lacks blessings. away.
Your sin has robbed you of good.
26Criminals are found among my people;
they set traps to catch people,
like hunters lying in wait.#5.26 Heb uncertain
27Like a cage full of birds,
so their houses are full of loot.
No wonder they are rich and powerful
28and have grown fat and sleek!
To be sure, their evil deeds exceed all limits,
and yet they prosper.
They are indifferent to the plight of the orphan,
reluctant to defend the rights of the poor.
29Shouldn’t I punish such acts?
declares the LORD.
Shouldn’t I repay that nation for its deeds?
30An awful, a terrible thing
has happened in the land:
31The prophets prophesy falsely,
the priests rule at their sides,#5.31 Or by their hands
and my people love it this way!
But what will you do when the end comes?
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