Jeremiah 8:4–13

The Lord’s Judgment on Judah’s False Religion

⁴“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: 

When someone falls, he gets back up. 

When someone turns away from me, he returns. 

⁵The people of Jerusalem turned away from me without ever returning. 

They still cling to deceit. 

They refuse to return. 

⁶I have paid attention and listened, 

but they weren’t honest. 

They don’t turn away from their wickedness and ask, 

“What have we done?” 

They go their own ways like horses charging into battle. 

⁷Even storks know when it’s time to return. 

Mourning doves, swallows, and cranes know 

when it’s time to migrate. 

But my people don’t know 

that I, the Lord, am urging them to return. 

⁸“ ‘How can you say that you are wise 

and that you have the Lord’s teachings? 

The scribes have used their pens to turn these teachings into lies. 

⁹Wise people are put to shame, confused, and trapped. 

They have rejected the Lord’s word. 

They don’t really have any wisdom. 

¹⁰That is why I will give their wives to other men 

and their fields to new owners. 

All of them, from the least important to the most important, 

are eager to make money dishonestly. 

All of them, from prophets to priests, act deceitfully. 

¹¹They treat my dear people’s wounds 

as though they were not serious, saying, 

“Everything is alright! Everything is alright!” 

But it’s not alright. 

¹²Are they ashamed that they do disgusting things? 

No, they’re not ashamed. 

They don’t even know how to blush. 

So they will die with those who die. 

They will be brought down when I punish them,’ ” says the Lord. 

¹³“ ‘I would have gathered their harvest,’ ” declares the Lord, 

“ ‘but there are no grapes on the vine. 

There are no figs on the tree, 

and the leaves have dried up. 

What I have given them will be taken away.’ ”