The Sin of Judah
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"The sin of Judah is written with 1a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on 2the tablet of their heart, and on 3the horns of their altars,
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while 4their children remember their altars and their 5Asherim, 6beside every green tree and on the high hills,
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7on the mountains in the open country. 8Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory.
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You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, 9and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, 10for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever."
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Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man 11who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength,a whose heart turns away from the LORD.
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12He is like a shrub in the desert, 13and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in 14an uninhabited salt land.
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17He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."
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The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
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18"I the LORD search the heart 19and test the mind,b 20to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."
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Like the 21partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch, so is 22he who gets riches but not by justice; 23in the midst of his days they will leave him, 24and at his end he will be a fool.
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A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.
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O LORD, 25the hope of Israel, 26all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from youc27shall be written in the earth, for 28they have forsaken 29the LORD, the fountain of living water.
Jeremiah Prays for Deliverance
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30Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for 31you are my praise.
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32Behold, they say to me, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!"
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I have not run away from being your shepherd, nor have I desired the day of sickness. 33You know 34what came out of my lips; it was before your face.
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Be not a terror to me; 35you are my refuge in the day of disaster.
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36Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; 37let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed; 38bring upon them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction!
Keep the Sabbath Holy
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Thus said the LORD to me: "Go and stand in the People's Gate, by which 39the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem,
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and say: 'Hear the word of the LORD, 40you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.
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Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and 41do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem.
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And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath 42or do any work, but 43keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers.
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Yet 44they did not listen or incline their ear, 45but stiffened their neck, that they 46might not hear and receive instruction.
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"'But if you listen to me, declares the LORD, and 47bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but 48keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it,
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then 49there shall enter by the gates of this city kings and princes who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city shall be inhabited forever.
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And people shall come from 50the cities of Judah 51and the places around Jerusalem, 52from the land of Benjamin, 53from the Shephelah, from the hill country, 54and from 55the Negeb, bringing 56burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and 57bringing thank offerings to the house of the LORD.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)