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
Revised Standard Version
3 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,
and they do not know me, says the Lord.
4 Let every one beware of his neighbor,
and put no trust in any brother;
for every brother is a supplanter,
and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.
5 Every one deceives his neighbor,
and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongue to speak lies;
they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent.[b]
6 Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,
they refuse to know me, says the Lord.
7 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Behold, I will refine them and test them,
for what else can I do, because of my people?
8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
it speaks deceitfully;
with his mouth each speaks peaceably to his neighbor,
but in his heart he plans an ambush for him.
9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord;
and shall I not avenge myself
on a nation such as this?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:3 Gk: Heb and not for truth they have grown strong
- Jeremiah 9:5 Cn Compare Gk: Heb your dwelling
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.