| New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
| 1Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. | 1"Also the righteous are perishing, but no one takes it to heart; devout people are taken away, while no one understands that the righteous person is taken away from calamity. |
| 2For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die. Idolatrous Worship Condemned | 2Then he enters into peace, and they'll rest on his couches, each one living righteously. |
| 3“But you—come here, you witches’ children, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! | 3"But as for you, come here, you children of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! |
| 4Whom do you mock, making faces and sticking out your tongues? You children of sinners and liars! | 4Whom are you mocking? And against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of lies, |
| 5You worship your idols with great passion beneath the oaks and under every green tree. You sacrifice your children down in the valleys, among the jagged rocks in the cliffs. | 5you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every spreading tree, who slaughter your children in the ravines, under the clefts of the rocks? |
| 6Your gods are the smooth stones in the valleys. You worship them with liquid offerings and grain offerings. They, not I, are your inheritance. Do you think all this makes me happy? | 6"Among the smooth stones of the ravines is your portion— there they are as your lot. To them you have poured out drink offerings; you have brought grain offerings. Should I be lenient over such things? |
| 7You have committed adultery on every high mountain. There you have worshiped idols and have been unfaithful to me. | 7"You have made your bed on a high and lofty mountain, and you went up to offer sacrifice there. |
| 8You have put pagan symbols on your doorposts and behind your doors. You have left me and climbed into bed with these detestable gods. You have committed yourselves to them. You love to look at their naked bodies. | 8Behind the doors and the doorposts you have set up your pagan sign." For in deserting me you have uncovered your bed— you have climbed up into it and have opened it wide. And you have made a pact for yourself with them; you have loved their bed, you have looked on their private parts. |
| 9You have gone to Molech with olive oil and many perfumes, sending your agents far and wide, even to the world of the dead. | 9You went to Molech with olive oil and increased your perfumes; you sent your ambassadors far away, you sent them down even to Sheol itself! |
| 10You grew weary in your search, but you never gave up. Desire gave you renewed strength, and you did not grow weary. | 10You grew tired with your many wanderings, but you wouldn't say: 'It is hopeless.' You found new strength for your desire, and so you did not falter. |
| 11“Are you afraid of these idols? Do they terrify you? Is that why you have lied to me and forgotten me and my words? Is it because of my long silence that you no longer fear me? | 11"Whom did you so dread— and while you feared me — that you lied, and you did not remember me, and did not lay to heart these things? Haven't I remained silent for a long time, and still you don't fear me?" |
| 12Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you. | 12"I will denounce your righteousness and your works, for your collections of idols will not benefit you. |
| 13Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help. Why, a puff of wind can knock them down! If you just breathe on them, they fall over! But whoever trusts in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.” God Forgives the Repentant | 13When you cry out, let your collection deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, and a mere breath will sweep them all away." "But whoever takes refuge in me will possess the land, and will inherit my holy mountain. |
| 14God says, “Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.” | 14And one has said: 'Build up! Build up the road! Prepare the highway! Remove every obstacle from my people's way.' |
| 15The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. | 15"For this is what the high and lofty One says, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "He lives in the height and in holiness, and also with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. |
| 16For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away— all the souls I have made. | 16For I won't accuse forever, nor will I always be angry; for then the human spirit would grow faint before me— even the souls that I have created. |
| 17I was angry, so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way. | 17Because of his wicked greed I was angry, so I punished him; and I hid my face, and was angry— but he kept turning back to his stubborn will. |
| 18I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn, | 18I've seen his ways, yet I will heal him, and restore for him comfort to him and for those who mourn for him |
| 19bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the LORD, who heals them. | 19when I create the fruit of the lips: Peace to the one who is far away or near," says the LORD, "and I'll heal him. |
| 20“But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt. | 20But the wicked are tossed like the sea; for it is not able to keep still, and its waters toss up mire and mud. |
| 21There is no peace for the wicked,” says my God. | 21"Yet there is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." |
| 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. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
|
