New International Version

New King James Version

A Linen Belt

This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”

1

Symbol of the Linen Sash

Thus the Lord said to me: “Go and get yourself a linen sash, and put it [a]around your waist, but do not put it in water.”

2

So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

2

So I got a [b]sash according to the word of the Lord, and put it around my waist.

3

Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:

3

And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying,

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“Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Peratha and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.”

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“Take the [c]sash that you acquired, which is [d]around your waist, and arise, go to the [e]Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock.”

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So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.

5

So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.

6

Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.”

6

Now it came to pass after many days that the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the sash which I commanded you to hide there.”

7

So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

7

Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the [f]sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing.

8

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

8

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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“This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

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“Thus says the Lord: ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10

These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt — completely useless!

10

This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow[g] the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.

11

For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’

11

For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the Lord, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

12

Wineskins

“Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’

12

Symbol of the Wine Bottles

“Therefore you shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Every bottle shall be filled with wine.” ’
“And they will say to you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?’

13

then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem.

13

“Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land — even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem — with drunkenness!

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I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.’ ”

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And I will dash them [h]one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the Lord. “I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them.” ’ ”

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Threat of Captivity

Hear and pay attention,
do not be arrogant,
for the Lord has spoken.

15

Pride Precedes Captivity

Hear and give ear:
Do not be proud,
For the Lord has spoken.

16

Give glory to the Lord your God
before he brings the darkness,
before your feet stumble
on the darkening hills.
You hope for light,
but he will turn it to utter darkness
and change it to deep gloom.

16

Give glory to the Lord your God
Before He causes darkness,
And before your feet stumble
On the dark mountains,
And while you are looking for light,
He turns it into the shadow of death
And makes it dense darkness.

17

If you do not listen,
I will weep in secret
because of your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly,
overflowing with tears,
because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.

17

But if you will not hear it,
My soul will weep in secret for your pride;
My eyes will weep bitterly
And run down with tears,
Because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.

18

Say to the king and to the queen mother,
“Come down from your thrones,
for your glorious crowns
will fall from your heads.”

18

Say to the king and to the queen mother,
“Humble yourselves;
Sit down,
For your rule shall collapse, the crown of your glory.”

19

The cities in the Negev will be shut up,
and there will be no one to open them.
All Judah will be carried into exile,
carried completely away.

19

The cities of the South shall be shut up,
And no one shall open them;
Judah shall be carried away captive, all of it;
It shall be wholly carried away captive.

20

Look up and see
those who are coming from the north.
Where is the flock that was entrusted to you,
the sheep of which you boasted?

20

Lift up your eyes and see
Those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given to you,
Your beautiful sheep?

21

What will you say when the Lord sets over you
those you cultivated as your special allies?
Will not pain grip you
like that of a woman in labor?

21

What will you say when He punishes you?
For you have taught them
To be chieftains, to be head over you.
Will not pangs seize you,
Like a woman in [i]labor?

22

And if you ask yourself,
“Why has this happened to me?” —
it is because of your many sins
that your skirts have been torn off
and your body mistreated.

22

And if you say in your heart,
“Why have these things come upon me?”
For the greatness of your iniquity
Your skirts have been uncovered,
Your heels [j]made bare.

23

Can an Ethiopianb change his skin
or a leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
who are accustomed to doing evil.

23

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?
Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.

24

“I will scatter you like chaff
driven by the desert wind.

24

“Therefore I will scatter them like stubble
That passes away by the wind of the wilderness.

25

This is your lot,
the portion I have decreed for you,”declares the Lord,
“because you have forgotten me
and trusted in false gods.

25

This is your lot,
The portion of your measures from Me,” says the Lord,
“Because you have forgotten Me
And trusted in falsehood.

26

I will pull up your skirts over your face
that your shame may be seen —

26

Therefore I will uncover your skirts over your face,
That your shame may appear.

27

your adulteries and lustful neighings,
your shameless prostitution!
I have seen your detestable acts
on the hills and in the fields.
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
How long will you be unclean?”

27

I have seen your adulteries
And your lustful neighings,
The lewdness of your harlotry,
Your abominations on the hills in the fields.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
Will you still not be made clean?”

Parallel

New International Version

New King James Version

Jeremiah 13

Jeremiah 13