Jeremiah 2 HCSB NIV Parallel

◄ Jeremiah 2 ►

HCSB Parallel NIV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]

Holman Christian Standard Bible

New International Version

1The word of the LORD came to me:

2"Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride-- how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

2"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: "This is what the LORD says: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.

3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who ate of it found themselves guilty; disaster came on them." This is the LORD's declaration.

3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,'" declares the LORD.

4Hear the word of the LORD, house of Jacob and all families of the house of Israel.

4Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.

5This is what the LORD says: What fault did your fathers find in Me that they went so far from Me, followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?

5This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

6They stopped asking, "Where is the LORD who brought us from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, through a land of drought and darkness, a land no one traveled through and where no one lived?"

6They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?'

7I brought you to a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but after you entered, you defiled My land; you made My inheritance detestable.

7I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.

8The priests quit asking, "Where is the LORD?" The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the rulers rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

8The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.

9Therefore, I will bring a case against you again. This is the LORD's declaration. I will bring a case against your children's children.

9"Therefore I bring charges against you again," declares the LORD. "And I will bring charges against your children's children.

10Cross over to Cyprus and take a look. Send someone to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:

11Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? (But they were not gods!) Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

11Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.

12Be horrified at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled. This is the LORD's declaration.

12Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD.

13For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.

13"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

14Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why else has he become a prey?

14Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?

15The young lions have roared at him; they have roared loudly. They have laid waste his land. His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants.

15Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted.

16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have also broken your skull.

16Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skull.

17Have you not brought this on yourself by abandoning the LORD your God while He was leading you along the way?

17Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way?

18Now what will you gain by traveling along the way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain by traveling along the way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

18Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?

19Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Think it over and see how evil and bitter it is for you to abandon the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD of Hosts.

19Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

20For long ago I broke your yoke; I tore off your chains. You insisted, "I will not serve!" On every high hill and under every green tree you lie down like a prostitute.

20"Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, 'I will not serve you!' Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.

21I planted you, a choice vine from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate, foreign vine?

21I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?

22Even if you wash with lye and use a great amount of soap, the stain of your sin is still in front of Me. This is the Lord GOD's declaration.

22Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me," declares the Sovereign LORD.

23How can you protest, "I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals"? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young camel twisting and turning on her way,

23"How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals'? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,

24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness. She sniffs the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can control her passion? All who look for her will not become tired; they will find her in her mating season.

24a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving-- in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her.

25Keep your feet from going bare and your throat from thirst. But you say, "It's hopeless; I love strangers, and I will continue to follow them."

25Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, 'It's no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.'

26Like the shame of a thief when he is caught, so the house of Israel has been put to shame. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets

26"As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the people of Israel are disgraced-- they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets.

27say to a tree, "You are my father," and to a stone, "You gave birth to me." For they have turned their back to Me and not their face, yet in their time of disaster they beg, "Rise up and save us!"

27They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!'

28But where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them rise up and save you in your time of disaster if they can, for your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah.

28Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns.

29Why do you bring a case against Me? All of you have rebelled against Me. This is the LORD's declaration.

29"Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me," declares the LORD.

30I have struck down your children in vain; they would not accept discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a ravaging lion.

30"In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.

31Evil generation, pay attention to the word of the LORD! Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people claim, "We will go where we want; we will no longer come to You"?

31"You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: "Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to you no more'?

32Can a young woman forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for countless days.

32Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.

33How skillfully you pursue love; you also teach evil women your ways.

33How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.

34Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor. You did not catch them breaking and entering. But in spite of all these things

34On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this

35you claim, "I am innocent. His anger is sure to turn away from me." But I will certainly judge you because you have said, "I have not sinned."

35you say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' But I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be put to shame by Egypt just as you were put to shame by Assyria.

36Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.

37Moreover, you will be led out from here with your hands on your head since the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not succeed even with their help.

37You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them.

New International Version (NIV)

Bible Hub