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Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’

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Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away(A) from my decrees and have not kept them. Return(B) to me, and I will return to you,”(C) says the Lord Almighty.

“But you ask,(D) ‘How are we to return?’

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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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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.

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21 But regarding Israel, God said,

“All day long I opened my arms to them,
    but they were disobedient and rebellious.”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 10:21 Isa 65:2 (Greek version).

21 But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands
    to a disobedient and obstinate people.”[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2

20 For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant.

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20 When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors,(A) and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods(B) and worship them,(C) rejecting me and breaking my covenant.(D)

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Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

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Come near to God and he will come near to you.(A) Wash your hands,(B) you sinners, and purify your hearts,(C) you double-minded.(D)

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For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.

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Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.(A)

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Healing for the Repentant

14 [a]Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
    for your sins have brought you down.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:1 Verses 14:1-9 are numbered 14:2-10 in Hebrew text.

Repentance to Bring Blessing

14 [a]Return,(A) Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins(B) have been your downfall!(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.

12 Therefore, go and give this message to Israel.[a] This is what the Lord says:

“O Israel, my faithless people,
    come home to me again,
for I am merciful.
    I will not be angry with you forever.
13 Only acknowledge your guilt.
    Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and committed adultery against him
    by worshiping idols under every green tree.
Confess that you refused to listen to my voice.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!

14 “Return home, you wayward children,”
    says the Lord,
    “for I am your master.
I will bring you back to the land of Israel[b]
    one from this town and two from that family—
    from wherever you are scattered.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:12 Hebrew toward the north.
  2. 3:14 Hebrew to Zion.

12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north:(A)

“‘Return,(B) faithless(C) Israel,’ declares the Lord,
    ‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’(D) declares the Lord,
    ‘I will not be angry(E) forever.
13 Only acknowledge(F) your guilt—
    you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods(G)
    under every spreading tree,(H)
    and have not obeyed(I) me,’”
declares the Lord.

14 “Return,(J) faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband.(K) I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion.

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Seek the Lord while you can find him.
    Call on him now while he is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
    and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
    Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

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Seek(A) the Lord while he may be found;(B)
    call(C) on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake(D) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.(E)
Let them turn(F) to the Lord, and he will have mercy(G) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(H)

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28 “But as soon as they were at peace, your people again committed evil in your sight, and once more you let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever your people turned and cried to you again for help, you listened once more from heaven. In your wonderful mercy, you rescued them many times!

29 “You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen. 30 In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.

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28 “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.(A) Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion(B) you delivered them(C) time after time.

29 “You warned(D) them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant(E) and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’(F) Stubbornly they turned their backs(G) on you, became stiff-necked(H) and refused to listen.(I) 30 For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets.(J) Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.(K)

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40 “But at last my people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying me and being hostile toward me. 41 When I have turned their hostility back on them and brought them to the land of their enemies, then at last their stubborn hearts will be humbled, and they will pay for their sins. 42 Then I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

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40 “‘But if they will confess(A) their sins(B) and the sins of their ancestors(C)—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostile(D) toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts(E) are humbled(F) and they pay(G) for their sin, 42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob(H) and my covenant with Isaac(I) and my covenant with Abraham,(J) and I will remember the land.

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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.

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16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

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22 “My wayward children,” says the Lord,
    “come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.”

“Yes, we’re coming,” the people reply,
    “for you are the Lord our God.

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22 “Return,(A) faithless people;
    I will cure(B) you of backsliding.”(C)

“Yes, we will come to you,
    for you are the Lord our God.

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