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Jeremiah 3:1
New Living Translation
Jeremiah 3:1
New Living Translation
3 “If a man divorces a woman
and she goes and marries someone else,
he will not take her back again,
for that would surely corrupt the land.
But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers,
so why are you trying to come back to me?”
says the Lord.
Jeremiah 3:1
New International Version
Jeremiah 3:1
New International Version
Deuteronomy 24:1-4
New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 24:1-4
New Living Translation
24 “Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes a document of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house. 2 When she leaves his house, she is free to marry another man. 3 But if the second husband also turns against her, writes a document of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away, or if he dies, 4 the first husband may not marry her again, for she has been defiled. That would be detestable to the Lord. You must not bring guilt upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession.
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Deuteronomy 24:1-4
New International Version
Deuteronomy 24:1-4
New International Version
24 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him(A) because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce,(B) gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord(C) your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Ezekiel 16:26
New Living Translation
Ezekiel 16:26
New Living Translation
26 Then you added lustful Egypt to your lovers, provoking my anger with your increasing promiscuity.
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Ezekiel 16:26
New International Version
Ezekiel 16:26
New International Version
26 You engaged in prostitution(A) with the Egyptians,(B) your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger(C) with your increasing promiscuity.(D)
Jeremiah 4:1
New Living Translation
Jeremiah 4:1
New Living Translation
4 “O Israel,” says the Lord,
“if you wanted to return to me, you could.
You could throw away your detestable idols
and stray away no more.
Jeremiah 4:1
New International Version
Jeremiah 4:1
New International Version
Jeremiah 2:20
New Living Translation
Jeremiah 2:20
New Living Translation
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.
Hosea 14:1-4
New Living Translation
Hosea 14:1-4
New Living Translation
Healing for the Repentant
14 [a]Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
for your sins have brought you down.
2 Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord.
Say to him,
“Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us,
so that we may offer you our praises.[b]
3 Assyria cannot save us,
nor can our warhorses.
Never again will we say to the idols we have made,
‘You are our gods.’
No, in you alone
do the orphans find mercy.”
4 The Lord says,
“Then I will heal you of your faithlessness;
my love will know no bounds,
for my anger will be gone forever.
Hosea 14:1-4
New International Version
Hosea 14:1-4
New International Version
Repentance to Bring Blessing
14 [a]Return,(A) Israel, to the Lord your God.
Your sins(B) have been your downfall!(C)
2 Take words with you
and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
“Forgive(D) all our sins
and receive us graciously,(E)
that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[b](F)
3 Assyria cannot save us;(G)
we will not mount warhorses.(H)
We will never again say ‘Our gods’(I)
to what our own hands have made,(J)
for in you the fatherless(K) find compassion.”
Footnotes
- Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
- Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
Hosea 2:5-7
New Living Translation
Hosea 2:5-7
New Living Translation
5 Their mother is a shameless prostitute
and became pregnant in a shameful way.
She said, ‘I’ll run after other lovers
and sell myself to them for food and water,
for clothing of wool and linen,
and for olive oil and drinks.’
6 “For this reason I will fence her in with thornbushes.
I will block her path with a wall
to make her lose her way.
7 When she runs after her lovers,
she won’t be able to catch them.
She will search for them
but not find them.
Then she will think,
‘I might as well return to my husband,
for I was better off with him than I am now.’
Hosea 2:5-7
New International Version
Hosea 2:5-7
New International Version
5 Their mother has been unfaithful
and has conceived them in disgrace.
She said, ‘I will go after my lovers,(A)
who give me my food and my water,
my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’(B)
6 Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.(C)
7 She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
she will look for them but not find them.(D)
Then she will say,
‘I will go back to my husband(E) as at first,(F)
for then I was better off(G) than now.’
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
New Living Translation
29 But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.
30 “In the distant future, when you are suffering all these things, you will finally return to the Lord your God and listen to what he tells you. 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.
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Deuteronomy 4:29-31
New International Version
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
New International Version
29 But if from there you seek(A) the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart(B) and with all your soul.(C) 30 When you are in distress(D) and all these things have happened to you, then in later days(E) you will return(F) to the Lord your God and obey him. 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful(G) God; he will not abandon(H) or destroy(I) you or forget(J) the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Luke 15:16-24
New Living Translation
Luke 15:16-24
New Living Translation
16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.[a]’
22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
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- 15:21 Some manuscripts add Please take me on as a hired servant.
Luke 15:16-24
New International Version
Luke 15:16-24
New International Version
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned(A) against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.(B)
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.(C) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe(D) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger(E) and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;(F) he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.(G)
Zechariah 1:3
New Living Translation
Zechariah 1:3
New Living Translation
3 Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’
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Zechariah 1:3
New International Version
Zechariah 1:3
New International Version
3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return(A) to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’(B) says the Lord Almighty.
Hosea 1:2
New Living Translation
Hosea 1:2
New Living Translation
Hosea’s Wife and Children
2 When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute,[a] so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.”
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- 1:2 Or a promiscuous woman.
Hosea 1:2
New International Version
Hosea 1:2
New International Version
Hosea’s Wife and Children
2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous(A) woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness(B) to the Lord.”
Ezekiel 33:11
New Living Translation
Ezekiel 33:11
New Living Translation
11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?
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Ezekiel 33:11
New International Version
Ezekiel 33:11
New International Version
11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.(A) Turn!(B) Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’(C)
Ezekiel 23:4-49
New Living Translation
Ezekiel 23:4-49
New Living Translation
4 The older girl was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. I married them, and they bore me sons and daughters. I am speaking of Samaria and Jerusalem, for Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem.
5 “Then Oholah lusted after other lovers instead of me, and she gave her love to the Assyrian officers. 6 They were all attractive young men, captains and commanders dressed in handsome blue, charioteers driving their horses. 7 And so she prostituted herself with the most desirable men of Assyria, worshiping their idols[a] and defiling herself. 8 For when she left Egypt, she did not leave her spirit of prostitution behind. She was still as lewd as in her youth, when the Egyptians slept with her, fondled her breasts, and used her as a prostitute.
9 “And so I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers, whom she desired so much. 10 They stripped her, took away her children as their slaves, and then killed her. After she received her punishment, her reputation was known to every woman in the land.
11 “Yet even though Oholibah saw what had happened to Oholah, her sister, she followed right in her footsteps. And she was even more depraved, abandoning herself to her lust and prostitution. 12 She fawned over all the Assyrian officers—those captains and commanders in handsome uniforms, those charioteers driving their horses—all of them attractive young men. 13 I saw the way she was going, defiling herself just like her older sister.
14 “Then she carried her prostitution even further. She fell in love with pictures that were painted on a wall—pictures of Babylonian[b] military officers, outfitted in striking red uniforms. 15 Handsome belts encircled their waists, and flowing turbans crowned their heads. They were dressed like chariot officers from the land of Babylonia.[c] 16 When she saw these paintings, she longed to give herself to them, so she sent messengers to Babylonia to invite them to come to her. 17 So they came and committed adultery with her, defiling her in the bed of love. After being defiled, however, she rejected them in disgust.
18 “In the same way, I became disgusted with Oholibah and rejected her, just as I had rejected her sister, because she flaunted herself before them and gave herself to satisfy their lusts. 19 Yet she turned to even greater prostitution, remembering her youth when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 She lusted after lovers with genitals as large as a donkey’s and emissions like those of a horse. 21 And so, Oholibah, you relived your former days as a young girl in Egypt, when you first allowed your breasts to be fondled.
The Lord’s Judgment of Oholibah
22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will send your lovers against you from every direction—those very nations from which you turned away in disgust. 23 For the Babylonians will come with all the Chaldeans from Pekod and Shoa and Koa. And all the Assyrians will come with them—handsome young captains, commanders, chariot officers, and other high-ranking officers, all riding their horses. 24 They will all come against you from the north[d] with chariots, wagons, and a great army prepared for attack. They will take up positions on every side, surrounding you with men armed with shields and helmets. And I will hand you over to them for punishment so they can do with you as they please. 25 I will turn my jealous anger against you, and they will deal harshly with you. They will cut off your nose and ears, and any survivors will then be slaughtered by the sword. Your children will be taken away as captives, and everything that is left will be burned. 26 They will strip you of your beautiful clothes and jewels. 27 In this way, I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you brought from Egypt. You will never again cast longing eyes on those things or fondly remember your time in Egypt.
28 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely hand you over to your enemies, to those you loathe, those you rejected. 29 They will treat you with hatred and rob you of all you own, leaving you stark naked. The shame of your prostitution will be exposed to all the world. 30 You brought all this on yourself by prostituting yourself to other nations, defiling yourself with all their idols. 31 Because you have followed in your sister’s footsteps, I will force you to drink the same cup of terror she drank.
32 “Yes, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“You will drink from your sister’s cup of terror,
a cup that is large and deep.
It is filled to the brim
with scorn and derision.
33 Drunkenness and anguish will fill you,
for your cup is filled to the brim with distress and desolation,
the same cup your sister Samaria drank.
34 You will drain that cup of terror
to the very bottom.
Then you will smash it to pieces
and beat your breast in anguish.
I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!
35 “And because you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: You must bear the consequences of all your lewdness and prostitution.”
The Lord’s Judgment on Both Sisters
36 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, you must accuse Oholah and Oholibah of all their detestable sins. 37 They have committed both adultery and murder—adultery by worshiping idols and murder by burning as sacrifices the children they bore to me. 38 Furthermore, they have defiled my Temple and violated my Sabbath day! 39 On the very day that they sacrificed their children to their idols, they boldly came into my Temple to worship! They came in and defiled my house.
40 “You sisters sent messengers to distant lands to get men. Then when they arrived, you bathed yourselves, painted your eyelids, and put on your finest jewels for them. 41 You sat with them on a beautifully embroidered couch and put my incense and my special oil on a table that was spread before you. 42 From your room came the sound of many men carousing. They were lustful men and drunkards[e] from the wilderness, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your heads. 43 Then I said, ‘If they really want to have sex with old worn-out prostitutes like these, let them!’ 44 And that is what they did. They had sex with Oholah and Oholibah, these shameless prostitutes. 45 But righteous people will judge these sister cities for what they really are—adulterers and murderers.
46 “Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring an army against them and hand them over to be terrorized and plundered. 47 For their enemies will stone them and kill them with swords. They will butcher their sons and daughters and burn their homes. 48 In this way, I will put an end to lewdness and idolatry in the land, and my judgment will be a warning to all women not to follow your wicked example. 49 You will be fully repaid for all your prostitution—your worship of idols. Yes, you will suffer the full penalty. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”
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Ezekiel 23:4-49
New International Version
Ezekiel 23:4-49
New International Version
4 The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.(A)
5 “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians(B)—warriors(C) 6 clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. 7 She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.(D) 8 She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt,(E) when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.(F)
9 “Therefore I delivered her into the hands(G) of her lovers,(H) the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.(I) 10 They stripped(J) her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women,(K) and punishment was inflicted(L) on her.(M)
11 “Her sister Oholibah saw this,(N) yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.(O) 12 She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.(P) 13 I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.(Q)
14 “But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall,(R) figures of Chaldeans[a] portrayed in red,(S) 15 with belts(T) around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.[b] 16 As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers(U) to them in Chaldea.(V) 17 Then the Babylonians(W) came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.(X) 18 When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body,(Y) I turned away(Z) from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.(AA) 19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. 21 So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.[c](AB)
22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers(AC) against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side(AD)— 23 the Babylonians(AE) and all the Chaldeans,(AF) the men of Pekod(AG) and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses.(AH) 24 They will come against you with weapons,[d] chariots and wagons(AI) and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment,(AJ) and they will punish you according to their standards. 25 I will direct my jealous anger(AK) against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters,(AL) and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.(AM) 26 They will also strip(AN) you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.(AO) 27 So I will put a stop(AP) to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.
28 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands(AQ) of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. 29 They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked,(AR) and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed.(AS) Your lewdness(AT) and promiscuity(AU) 30 have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.(AV) 31 You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup(AW) into your hand.(AX)
32 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“You will drink your sister’s cup,
a cup large and deep;
it will bring scorn and derision,(AY)
for it holds so much.(AZ)
33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
the cup of ruin and desolation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.(BA)
34 You will drink it(BB) and drain it dry
and chew on its pieces—
and you will tear your breasts.
I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BC)
35 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten(BD) me and turned your back on me,(BE) you must bear(BF) the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”
36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront(BG) them with their detestable practices,(BH) 37 for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.(BI) 38 They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary(BJ) and desecrated my Sabbaths.(BK) 39 On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated(BL) it. That is what they did in my house.(BM)
40 “They even sent messengers for men who came from far away,(BN) and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup(BO) and put on your jewelry.(BP) 41 You sat on an elegant couch,(BQ) with a table(BR) spread before it on which you had placed the incense(BS) and olive oil that belonged to me.(BT)
42 “The noise of a carefree(BU) crowd was around her; drunkards(BV) were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets(BW) on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.(BX) 43 Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute,(BY) for that is all she is.’ 44 And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. 45 But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood,(BZ) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.(CA)
46 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob(CB) against them and give them over to terror and plunder.(CC) 47 The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters(CD) and burn(CE) down their houses.(CF)
48 “So I will put an end(CG) to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.(CH) 49 You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry.(CI) Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(CJ)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 23:14 Or Babylonians
- Ezekiel 23:15 Or Babylonia; also in verse 16
- Ezekiel 23:21 Syriac (see also verse 3); Hebrew caressed because of your young breasts
- Ezekiel 23:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.