Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
1The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil. | 1The godly perish, but no one cares. Honest people disappear, when no one minds that the godly disappear because of evil. |
2Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death. | 2Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace; they rest on their beds. |
3“But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! | 3But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! |
4Whom are you mocking? At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit, | 4At whom are you laughing? At whom are you opening your mouth and sticking out your tongue? You are the children of rebels, the offspring of liars, |
5who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? | 5you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs. |
6Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these? | 6Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love; they, they are the object of your devotion. You pour out liquid offerings to them, you make an offering. Because of these things I will seek vengeance. |
7On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices. | 7On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices. |
8Behind the door and doorpost you have set up your memorial. Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed; you climbed up and opened it wide. And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved; you have gazed upon their nakedness. | 8Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. Indeed, you depart from me and go up and invite them into bed with you. You purchase favors from them, you love their bed, and gaze longingly on their genitals. |
9You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself. | 9You take olive oil as tribute to your king, along with many perfumes. You send your messengers to a distant place; you go all the way to Sheol. |
10You are wearied by your many journeys, but you did not say, “There is no hope!” You found renewal of your strength; therefore you did not grow weak. | 10Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, but you do not say, 'I give up.' You get renewed energy, so you don't collapse. |
11Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear Me? | 11Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me. |
12I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not profit you. | 12I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you. |
13When you cry out, let your companies of idols deliver you! Yet the wind will carry off all of them, a breath will take them away. But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit the land and possess My holy mountain.” | 13When you cry out for help, let your idols help you! The wind blows them all away, a breeze carries them away. But the one who looks to me for help will inherit the land and will have access to my holy mountain." |
14And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.” | 14He says, "Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!" |
15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite. | 15For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: "I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged. |
16For I will not accuse you forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me, with the breath of those I have made. | 16For I will not be hostile forever or perpetually angry, for then man's spirit would grow faint before me, the life-giving breath I created. |
17I was enraged by his sinful greed, so I struck him and hid My face in anger; yet he kept turning back to the desires of his heart. | 17I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn. |
18I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, | 18I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them and give them rest, and I will once again console those who mourn. |
19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.” | 19I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby," says the LORD, "and I will heal them. |
20But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck. | 20But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand. |
21“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” | 21There will be no prosperity," says my God, "for the wicked." |
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