Jeremiah 2:20–22

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.

21 I had planted you like a choice vine

of sound and reliable stock.

How then did you turn against me

into a corrupt, wild vine?

22 Although 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.

20 “For long ago I broke your yoke

and burst your bonds;

but you said, ‘I will not serve.’

Yes, on every high hill

and under every green tree

you bowed down like a whore.

21 Yet I planted you a choice vine,

wholly of pure seed.

How then have you turned degenerate

and become a wild vine?

22 Though you wash yourself with lye

and use much soap,

the stain of your guilt is still before me,

declares the Lord God.

20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. 21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? 22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God.

20 “Long ago I broke the yoke that oppressed you

and tore away the chains of your slavery,

but still you said,

‘I will not serve you.’

On every hill and under every green tree,

you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.

21 But I was the one who planted you,

choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best.

How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?

22 No amount of soap or lye can make you clean.

I still see the stain of your guilt.

I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!

20 “For of old I have broken your yoke and burst your bonds;

And you said, ‘I will not transgress,’

When on every high hill and under every green tree

You lay down, playing the harlot.

21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality.

How then have you turned before Me

Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?

22 For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap,

Yet your iniquity is marked before Me,” says the Lord God.

20 “Long ago you refused to obey me as an ox breaks its yoke.

You broke the ropes I used to hold you

and said, ‘I will not serve you!’

In fact, on every high hill

and under every green tree

you lay down as a prostitute.

21 But I planted you as a special vine,

as a very good seed.

How then did you turn

into a wild vine that grows bad fruit?

22 Although you wash yourself with cleanser

and use much soap,

I can still see the stain of your guilt,” says the Lord God.

20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot. 21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine unto me? 22 For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.

20 For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve. For upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou bowest down, playing the harlot. 21 And I, —I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine unto me? 22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much potash, thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.

20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke,tore off your chains, 

and said that you wouldn’t be a slave. 

You lay down and acted like a prostitute 

on every high hill and under every large tree. 

21 I planted you like a choice grapevine from the very best seed. 

Now you have turned against me and have become a wild vine. 

22 Even if you wash with detergent and use a lot of soap, 

I would still see the stains from your wickedness,” 

declares the Almighty Lord. 

20 For 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.

21 I planted you, a choice vine

from the very best seed.

How then could you turn into

a degenerate, foreign vine?

22 Even 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.

20 For long ago you broke your yoke

and burst your bonds,

and you said, “I will not serve!”

On every high hill

and under every green tree

you sprawled and prostituted yourself.

21 Yet I planted you as a choice vine

from the purest stock.

How then did you turn degenerate

and become a wild vine?

22 Though you wash yourself with lye

and use much soap,

the stain of your guilt is still before me,

says the Lord God.

20 “Long ago you broke off the yoke I put on you.

You tore off the ropes I tied you up with.

You said, ‘I won’t serve you!’

In fact, on every high hill

you lay down like a prostitute.

You worshiped other gods under every green tree.

21 You were like a good vine when I planted you.

You were a healthy plant.

Then how did you turn against me?

How did you become a bad, wild vine?

22 You might wash yourself with baking soda.

You might use plenty of soap.

But I can still see the stains your guilt covers you with,”

announces the Lord and King.

20 “For long ago I broke your yoke

And tore off your bonds;

But you said, ‘I will not serve!’

For on every high hill

And under every green tree

You have lain down as a harlot.

21 “Yet I planted you a choice vine,

A completely faithful seed.

How then have you turned yourself before Me

Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

22 “Although you wash yourself with lye

And use much soap,

The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares the Lord God.