Jeremiah 9:3-9
New American Standard Bible
3 “They (A)bend their tongues like their bows;
Lies and not truth prevail in the land;
For they (B)proceed from evil to evil,
And they (C)do not know Me,” declares the Lord.
4 “Let everyone (D)be on guard against his neighbor,
And (E)do not trust any brother;
Because every (F)brother utterly [a]betrays,
And every neighbor (G)goes about as a slanderer.
5 Everyone (H)deceives his neighbor
And does not speak the truth.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They (I)weary themselves committing wrongdoing.
6 Your (J)dwelling is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they (K)refuse to know Me,” declares the Lord.
7 Therefore this is what the Lord of armies says:
“Behold, I will refine them and (L)put them to the test;
For (M)what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?
8 Their (N)tongue is a deadly arrow;
It speaks deceit;
With his mouth one (O)speaks peace to his neighbor,
But inwardly he (P)sets an ambush for him.
9 (Q)Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord.
“Shall I not avenge Myself
On a nation such as this?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:4 I.e., like Jacob (a play on words)
Jeremiah 9:3-9
English Standard Version
3 (A)They bend their tongue like a bow;
falsehood and not truth has grown strong[a] in the land;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
(B)and they do not know me, declares the Lord.
4 (C)Let everyone beware of his neighbor,
and put no trust in any brother,
for every (D)brother is a deceiver,
and every neighbor (E)goes about as a slanderer.
5 Everyone deceives his neighbor,
and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongue to speak lies;
they weary themselves committing iniquity.
6 Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,
(F)they refuse to know me, declares the Lord.
7 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Behold, (G)I will refine them and (H)test them,
for what else can I do, (I)because of my people?
8 (J)Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
(K)it speaks deceitfully;
with his mouth (L)each speaks peace to his neighbor,
but in his heart (M)he plans an ambush for him.
9 (N)Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord,
and shall I not avenge myself
on a nation such as this?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:3 Septuagint; Hebrew and not for truth they have grown strong
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
