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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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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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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“If you, Israel, will return,(A)
    then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols(B) out of my sight
    and no longer go astray,

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and when you and your children return(A) to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart(B) and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes[a](C) and have compassion(D) on you and gather(E) you again from all the nations where he scattered(F) you.(G) Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens,(H) from there the Lord your God will gather(I) you and bring you back.(J) He will bring(K) you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous(L) than your ancestors. The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants,(M) so that you may love(N) him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. The Lord your God will put all these curses(O) on your enemies who hate and persecute you.(P) You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land.(Q) The Lord will again delight(R) in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law(S) and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.(T)

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 30:3 Or will bring you back from captivity

Rend Your Heart

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return(A) to me with all your heart,(B)
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

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15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion(A) and will bring(B) each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country.

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Return,(A) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted(B) against.

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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) Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.(E) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.(F)

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“I will heal(A) their waywardness(B)
    and love them freely,(C)
    for my anger has turned away(D) from them.

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Israel Unrepentant

“Come, let us return(A) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(B)
    but he will heal us;(C)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.(D)

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11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.(A) Turn!(B) Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’(C)

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39 Why should the living complain
    when punished for their sins?(A)

40 Let us examine our ways and test them,(B)
    and let us return to the Lord.(C)
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
    to God in heaven,(D) and say:

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15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets(A) to you. They said, “Each of you must turn(B) from your wicked ways and reform(C) your actions; do not follow other gods(D) to serve them. Then you will live in the land(E) I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened(F) to me.

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12 Then you will call(A) on me and come and pray(B) to me, and I will listen(C) to you. 13 You will seek(D) me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.(E) 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back(F) from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes

They said, “Turn(A) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land(B) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever.

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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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30 When you are in distress(A) and all these things have happened to you, then in later days(B) you will return(C) to the Lord your God and obey him. 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful(D) God; he will not abandon(E) or destroy(F) you or forget(G) the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

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18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned(A) against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.(B)

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.(C) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe(D) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger(E) and sandals on his feet.

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19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities(A) into the depths of the sea.(B)
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,(C)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors(D)
    in days long ago.(E)

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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 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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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.

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At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:

“People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your parents(A) and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful(B) to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror,(C) as you see. Do not be stiff-necked,(D) as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger(E) will turn away from you. If you return(F) to the Lord, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion(G) by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate.(H) He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

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But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him,(A) and he was found by them.

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