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Jeremiah 5:19-31
New International Version
Jeremiah 5:19-31
New International Version
19 And when the people ask,(A) ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods(B) in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners(C) in a land not your own.’
20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
and proclaim(D) it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,(E)
who have eyes(F) but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:(G)
22 Should you not fear(H) me?” declares the Lord.
“Should you not tremble(I) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,(J)
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar,(K) but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious(L) hearts;
they have turned aside(M) and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
‘Let us fear(N) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains(O) in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’(P)
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
your sins have deprived you of good.(Q)
26 “Among my people are the wicked(R)
who lie in wait(S) like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps(T) to catch people.
27 Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;(U)
they have become rich(V) and powerful
28 and have grown fat(W) and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;(X)
they do not defend the just cause of the poor.(Y)
29 Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge(Z) myself
on such a nation as this?
Jeremiah 5:19-31
King James Version
Jeremiah 5:19-31
King James Version
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the Lord our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not your's.
20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
22 Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
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Jeremiah 5:19-31
New King James Version
Jeremiah 5:19-31
New King James Version
19 And it will be when you say, (A)‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have (B)forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so (C)you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’
20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob
And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
21 ‘Hear this now, O (D)foolish people,
Without [a]understanding,
Who have eyes and see not,
And who have ears and hear not:
22 (E)Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord.
‘Will you not tremble at My presence,
Who have placed the sand as the (F)bound of the sea,
By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it?
And though its waves toss to and fro,
Yet they cannot prevail;
Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.
23 But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart;
They have revolted and departed.
24 They do not say in their heart,
“Let us now fear the Lord our God,
(G)Who gives rain, both the (H)former and the latter, in its season.
(I)He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”
25 (J)Your iniquities have turned these things away,
And your sins have withheld good from you.
26 ‘For among My people are found wicked men;
They (K)lie in wait as one who sets snares;
They set a trap;
They catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28 They have grown (L)fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they [b]surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead (M)the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
(N)Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 (O)Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’
30 “An astonishing and (P)horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy (Q)falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people (R)love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 5:21 Lit. heart
- Jeremiah 5:28 Or pass over or overlook
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.