They refused to listen.\par They forgot the amazing things you did with them!\par They became stubborn.\par They decided to return to Egypt\par and became slaves again!\par
Jeremiah 18:15 - Easy To Read Version But my people have forgotten about me.\par They make offerings to worthless idols.\par My people stumble in the things they do.\par They stumble about in the old paths\par of their ancestors. {\cf2\super [153]} \par My people would rather walk\par along back roads and poor highways,\par than to follow me on the good roads.\par Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Yet My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to false gods, they have been caused to stumble in their ways and in the ancient roads, to walk in bypaths, in a way not graded and built up [not on a highway], American Standard Version (1901) For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false gods; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up; Common English Bible Yet my people have forgotten me; they have offered sacrifices to a lie. And so they have stumbled along the way, even along the ancient paths. They have taken side roads, not the main roads. Catholic Public Domain Version Yet my people have forgotten me, offering useless libations, and stumbling in their ways, in the paths of the world, so that they walk by these on an unmarked route. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Because my people have forgotten me, sacrificing in vain, and stumbling in their ways, in ancient paths, to walk by them in a way not trodden: |
They refused to listen.\par They forgot the amazing things you did with them!\par They became stubborn.\par They decided to return to Egypt\par and became slaves again!\par
Children will defeat my people. Women will rule over my people. My people, your guides lead you in the wrong way. They turn you away from the right way.
All of those gods are less than nothing!\par They can’t do anything!\par Those statues are absolutely worthless!\par
Clear the road! Clear the road!\par Make the way clear for my people!\par
Come through the gates!\par Make the way clear for the people!\par Prepare the road!\par Move all the stones off the road!\par Raise the flag as a sign for the people!\par
“Your sins and your fathers’ sins are all the same.” The Lord said this, “Your fathers did these sins when they burned incense {\cf2\super [469]} in the mountains. They shamed me on those hills. And I punished them first. I gave them the punishment they should have.”
The men that lead the people are leading them the wrong way. And the people that follow them will be destroyed.
And I will announce my judgment\par against my people.\par I will do this because they are bad people\par and they have turned against me.\par My people left me.\par They offered sacrifices to other gods.\par They worshiped idols that they had made\par with their own hands.\par
Those idols are worth nothing.\par They are something to make fun of.\par In the time of judgment,\par those idols will be destroyed.\par
The people in the towns of Judah and in the city of Jerusalem will go and pray to their idols for help. Those people burn incense {\cf2\super [95]} to those idols. But those idols will not be able to help the people of Judah when that terrible time comes.
“People of Judah, you have many idols—there are as many idols as there are towns in Judah. You have built many altars for worshiping that disgusting god Baal {\cf2\super [96]} —there are as many altars as there are streets in Jerusalem.
The Lord All-Powerful planted you.\par And he said that disaster will come to you.\par Why? Because the family of Israel\par and the family of Judah\par have done evil things.\par They offered sacrifices to Baal.” {\cf2\super [98]} \par And that made me angry!\par
These are the things that will happen to you.\par This is your part in my plans.”\par
Lord, you are my strength\par and my protection.\par You are a safe place to run to\par in time of trouble.\par The nations will come to you\par from all around the world.\par They will say,\par “Our fathers had false gods.\par They worshiped those worthless idols,\par but those idols did not help them at all.”\par
Lord, you are the hope of Israel.\par Lord, you are like a spring of living water.\par If a person quits following the Lord,\par then his life will be very short. {\cf2\super [139]} \par
You know that rocks never leave the fields\par by themselves. {\cf2\super [152]} \par You know that the snow on the mountains\par of Lebanon never melts.\par You know that cool, flowing streams\par do not become dry.\par
The kings of Judah built high places {\cf2\super [158]} for the god Baal. {\cf2\super [159]} They use those places to burn their sons in the fire. They burned their sons as burnt offerings to the god Baal. I did not tell them to do that. I did not ask you to offer your sons as sacrifices. I never even thought of such a thing.
“My people have done two evil things.\par They turned away from me\par (I am the spring of living water),\par and they dug their own water cisterns.\par (They turned to other gods.)\par But their cisterns are broken.\par Those cisterns can’t hold water.\par
You did bad things,\par and those bad things will only\par bring punishment to you.\par Trouble will come to you.\par And that trouble will teach you a lesson.\par Think about it!\par Then you will understand how bad it is\par to turn away from your God.\par It is wrong not to fear and respect me!”\par This message was from my Master,\par the Lord All-Powerful.\par
A young woman doesn’t forget her jewelry.\par A bride doesn’t forget the sash for her dress.\par But my people have forgotten me\par too many times to count.\par
You can hear crying on the bare hills.\par The people of Israel are crying\par and praying for mercy.\par They became very evil.\par They forgot the Lord their God.\par
The Lord All-Powerful, the God of the people of Israel, says: ‘You women did what you said you would do. You said, “We will keep the promises we made. We promised to make sacrifices and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven. {\cf2\super [361]} ” So, go ahead. Do the things you promised you would do. Keep your promises.
Those idols are worthless.\par People made those idols,\par and they are nothing but a joke.\par Their time of judgment will come,\par and those idols will be destroyed.\par
The Lord says these things:\par “Stand at the crossroads and look.\par Ask where the old road is.\par Ask where the good road is,\par and walk on that road.\par If you do, you will find rest for yourselves.\par But you people have said,\par ‘We will not walk on the good road!’\par
Will you steal and murder? Will you do the sin of adultery {\cf2\super [56]} ? Will you falsely accuse other people? Will you worship the false god Baal {\cf2\super [57]} and follow other gods that you have not known?
Their hearts will melt with fear.\par And many people will fall.\par The sword will kill many people\par by the city gates.\par Yes, the sword will flash like lightning.\par It was polished to kill the people!\par
“I won’t let those other nations insult you any more. You won’t be hurt by those people any more. You won’t take the children away from your people again.” The Lord my Master said those things.
But the more I {\cf2\super [114]} called the Israelites,\par the more the Israelites left me.\par The Israelites gave sacrifices to the Baals. {\cf2\super [115]} \par They burned incense {\cf2\super [116]} to the idols. {\cf2\super [117]} \par
“She served the Baals. {\cf2\super [17]} So I will punish her. She burned incense {\cf2\super [18]} to the Baals. She dressed up—she put on her jewelry and nose ring. Then she went to her lovers and forgot me.” The Lord has said this.
“So, I (the Lord) will block your \{(Israel’s) road with thorns. I will build a wall. Then she will not be able to find her paths.
\{The Lord said,\} “But you priests stopped following me! You used the teachings to make people do wrong. You ruined the Agreement with Levi!” The Lord All-Powerful said these things!
You teach that person to not honor his father. So you teach that it is not important to do what God said. You think that it is more important to follow those rules you have.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine if that makes your brother or sister fall into sin. It is better not to do anything that will make your brother or sister sin.
They made me jealous with {demons} that aren’t gods. They made me angry with those worthless idols. So I will make them jealous with people that are not a real nation. I will make them angry with people that are a foolish [213] nation.