And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely.

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Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(A)
    still they are swearing falsely.(B)

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16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

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16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.(A) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.(B)

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And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

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and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
    you swear,(A) ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(B)
then the nations will invoke blessings(C) by him
    and in him they will boast.(D)

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Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

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having a form of godliness(A) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.(B)

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They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

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They make many promises,
    take false oaths(A)
    and make agreements;(B)
therefore lawsuits spring up
    like poisonous weeds(C) in a plowed field.

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Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

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The Charge Against Israel

Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge(A) to bring
    against you who live in the land:(B)
“There is no faithfulness,(C) no love,
    no acknowledgment(D) of God in the land.(E)
There is only cursing,[a] lying(F) and murder,(G)
    stealing(H) and adultery;(I)
they break all bounds,
    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:2 That is, to pronounce a curse on

Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

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“‘Will you steal(A) and murder,(B) commit adultery(C) and perjury,[a](D) burn incense to Baal(E) and follow other gods(F) you have not known,

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 7:9 Or and swear by false gods

48 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

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Stubborn Israel

48 “Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob,
    you who are called by the name of Israel(A)
    and come from the line of Judah,(B)
you who take oaths(C) in the name of the Lord(D)
    and invoke(E) the God of Israel—
    but not in truth(F) or righteousness—

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12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.

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12 “‘Do not swear falsely(A) by my name(B) and so profane(C) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

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10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

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10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine(A)

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And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

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“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,(A) adulterers(B) and perjurers,(C) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,(D) who oppress the widows(E) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners(F) among you of justice, but do not fear(G) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

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Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.

I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

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And he said to me, “This is the curse(A) that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief(B) will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely(C) will be banished. The Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely(D) by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.(E)’”

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15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The Lord liveth.

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15 “Though you, Israel, commit adultery,
    do not let Judah become guilty.

“Do not go to Gilgal;(A)
    do not go up to Beth Aven.[a](B)
    And do not swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:15 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).