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5 People of Israel, listen to the Lord’s message. Hear my song of sadness about you. I say,
2 “The people of Israel have fallen.
They will never get up again.
They are deserted in their own land.
No one can lift them up.”
“A thousand soldiers will march out from a city in Israel.
But only a hundred will return.
A hundred soldiers will march out from a town.
But only ten will come back.”
4The Lord speaks to the people of Israel. He says,
“Look to me and live.
Do not go to Gilgal.
Do not travel to Beersheba.
The people of Gilgal will be taken away as prisoners.
Nothing will be left of Bethel.”
6 Israel, look to the Lord and live.
If you don’t, he will sweep through
the people of Joseph like a fire.
It will burn everything up.
And Bethel won’t have anyone to put it out.
7 You turn what is fair into something bitter.
What is right you throw down to the ground.
8 The Lord made the Pleiades and Orion.
He turns darkness into sunrise.
He makes the day fade into night.
He sends for the waters in the clouds.
Then he pours them out on the surface of the land.
His name is The Lord.
9 He destroys places of safety.
He tears down cities
that have high walls around them.
10 Israel, you hate those who do what is right in court.
You can’t stand those who tell the truth.
11 You walk all over poor people.
You make them give you grain.
You have built stone houses.
But you won’t live in them.
You have planted fruitful vineyards.
But you won’t drink the wine they produce.
12 I know how many crimes you have committed.
You have sinned far too much.
You crush those who do what is right.
You accept money from people who want special favors.
You take away the rights of poor people in the courts.
13 So those who are wise keep quiet in times like these.
That’s because the times are evil.
14 Look to what is good, not to what is evil.
Then you will live.
And the Lord God who rules over all
will be with you,
just as you say he is.
15 Hate what is evil. Love what is good.
Do what is fair in the courts.
Perhaps the Lord God who rules over all
will show you his favor.
After all, you are the only ones left
in the family line of Joseph.
16The Lord God rules over all. The Lord says,
“People will sob in all of the streets.
They will be very sad in every market place.
Even farmers will be told to cry loudly.
People will sob over the dead.
17 Workers will cry in all of the vineyards.
That is because I will punish you,”
says the Lord.
18 How terrible it will be for you
who long for the day of the Lord!
Why do you want it to come?
That day will be dark, not light.
19 It will be like a man running away from a lion
only to meet a bear.
He enters his house and rests his hand on a wall
only to be bitten by a snake.
20 The day of the Lord will be dark, not light.
It will be very black.
There won’t be a ray of sunlight anywhere.
“I hate your holy feasts.
I can’t stand them.
I hate it when you gather together.
22 You bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings.
But I will not accept them.
You bring your best friendship offerings.
But I will not even look at them.
23 Take the noise of your songs away!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 I want you to treat others fairly.
So let fair treatment roll on
just as a river does!
Always do what is right.
Let right living flow along
like a stream that never runs dry!
25 “People of Israel, did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
for 40 years in the desert?
26 Yes. But you have honored the place
where your king worshiped other gods.
You have carried the stands
the statues of your gods were on.
You have lifted up the banners
of the stars you worship as gods.
You made all of those things for yourselves.
as prisoners beyond Damascus,”
says the Lord.
His name is God Who Rules Over All.
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About New International Reader’s Version (1998)The New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) was developed to help early readers understand the Bible. Begun in 1992, the NIrV is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV). The NIrV uses shorter words and sentences so that those with a typical fourth grade reading level can comprehend what they are reading. The chapters have been separated into shorter sections and most have titles that clearly indicate what the section is all about. The NIrV will be a valuable translation to those for whom English is a second language. The NIrV still relies on the best and oldest copies of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts for its translation, guaranteeing that those who read it are getting the actual Word of God. |
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Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved. The NIrV text may be quoted for non-commercial usage in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without the express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted. Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows: Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER’S VERSION™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. When quotations from the NIrV text are used in non-saleable media, such as church bulletins, orders of service, posters, transparencies or similar media, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials (NIrV) must appear at the end of each quotation. Any commentary or other Biblical reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the New International Reader’s Version must obtain written permission for use of the NIrV text. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.S. and Canada that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530. Permission requests for commercial use within the U.K., EEC, and EFTA countries that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, Hodder Headline Plc., 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH, England. Permission requests for non-commercial usage that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, International Bible Society, 1820 Jet Stream Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. |
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