Jeremiah 9:3-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 They bend their tongues like bows;
they have grown strong in the land for falsehood and not for truth,
for they proceed from evil to evil,
and they do not know me, says the Lord.(A)
4 Beware of your neighbors,
and put no trust in any of your kin,
for all your kin are supplanters,
and every neighbor goes around like a slanderer.(B)
5 They all deceive their neighbors,
and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongues to speak lies;
they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent.[a](C)
6 Oppression upon oppression, deceit[b] upon deceit!
They refuse to know me, says the Lord.(D)
7 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:
I will now refine and test them,
for what else can I do with the daughter of my people?(E)
8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
it speaks deceit through the mouth.
They all speak friendly words to their neighbors
but inwardly are planning to lay an ambush.(F)
9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord,
and shall I not bring retribution
on a nation such as this?(G)
Jeremiah 9:3-9
Lexham English Bible
3 And they bend their tongue like their bow,
for falsehood and not truth is superior in the land,
for they go forth[a] from evil to evil,
and they do not know me,” declares[b] Yahweh.
A Nation Characterized by Deceit
4 “Let everyone be on your guard against his neighbor,
and you must not trust in any brother,
for everyone surely betrays,
and every neighbor goes about with slander.
5 And everyone deceives his neighbor,
and they do not speak the truth,
they have taught their tongues[c] to speak lies,[d]
they are tired from going astray.
6 Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit,
upon[e] deceit they refuse to know me,” declares[f] Yahweh.
7 Therefore, thus says Yahweh of hosts:
“Look, I am about to refine them,
and I will test them,
for what else can I do,
because of the presence[g] of the daughter of my people?
8 Their tongue is a murderous arrow,
it speaks deceit.
With his mouth he speaks peace with his neighbor,
but in his inner parts he sets up his ambush.
9 Because of these things shall I not punish them?” declares[h] Yahweh,
“On a nation that is like this shall I not take revenge?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 9:3 Or “proceed”
- Jeremiah 9:3 Literally “a declaration of”
- Jeremiah 9:5 Hebrew “tongue”
- Jeremiah 9:5 Hebrew “lie”
- Jeremiah 9:6 Or “through”
- Jeremiah 9:6 Literally “a declaration of”
- Jeremiah 9:7 Literally “faces”
- Jeremiah 9:9 Literally “a declaration of”
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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