Jeremiah:5

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* People of Jerusalem , run through your streets ! Look around and see for yourselves ! Search the marketplaces ! Can you find one person who does what is right and tries to be faithful to God ? If you can , Jehovah will forgive Jerusalem . * Even though you claim to worship Jehovah , you do not mean what you say . * Jehovah looks for faithfulness . He struck you , but you paid no attention . He crushed you , but you refused to learn . You were stubborn and would not turn from your sins . * I thought : »These are only the poor and ignorant . They a foolish . They do not know what their God requires , what Jehovah wants them to do . * »I will go to the great men and talk with them . Surely they know what their God requires , what Jehovah wants them to do . But all of them have rejected Jehovah ’s authority and refuse to obey him .« * That is why lions from the forest will kill them . Wolves from the desert will tear them to pieces , and leopards will prowl through their towns . If those people go out , they will be torn apart because their sins are numerous and time after time they have turned from God . * Jehovah asked : Why should I forgive the sins of my people ? They have abandoned me and have worshiped gods that are not real . I fed my people until they were full , but they committed adultery and spent their time with prostitutes . * They were like well-fed stallions wild with desire , each lusting for his neighbor 's wife . * »Why should I not punish the people of Judah ?« Says Jehovah , »Should I take retribution ?« * »Go up through her vineyards and destroy them . But do not execute a complete destruction . Strip away her branches , for they are not Jehovah ’s . * »The house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously with me ,« says Jehovah . * They lied about Jehovah . They said : »It is not he , bad things will not happen to us . We will not see sword or famine .« * »The prophets are as wind ! The word is not in them . Thus it will be done to them !« * Jehovah , the God of hosts says : »Because you have spoken this word and I am making my words fire in your mouth . This people are wood and will be consumed . * »I am bringing a nation against you from afar , O house of Israel , declares Jehovah . It is an enduring nation . It is an ancient nation , a nation whose language you do not know . You cannot understand what they say . * »Their quiver is like an open grave . All of them are mighty men . * »They will devour your harvest and your food . They will devour your sons and your daughters . They will devour your flocks and your herds . They will devour your vines and your fig trees . They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust . * »Yet even in those days , says Jehovah , I will not make you a complete destruction . * »‘They will ask : ‘Why has Jehovah our God done all this to us ?’ Answer them : »You have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land . So you will serve foreigners in a land that is not yours .« ’« * »Declare this to the house of Jacob , and make this heard in Judah : * »‘Hear this , you stupid and senseless people ! You have eyes , but you cannot see . You have ears , but you cannot hear .’« * »Do you not reverence me ?« Asks Jehovah . »Do you not tremble in my presence ? I made the sand a boundary for the sea , a permanent barrier it cannot cross . Although the waves toss continuously , they cannot break through . Although they roar , they cannot cross it . * »These people are stubborn and rebellious . They have turned aside and departed from me . * »They do not say in their hearts , to themselves : ‘We should respect Jehovah our God . He sends rain at the right time , the autumn rain and the spring rain . He makes sure that we have harvest seasons .’« * »Your wickedness has turned these things away . Your sins have kept good things away from you . * »Wicked men are found among my people . They lie in ambush like bird catchers . They set traps and catch men . * »Like cages filled with birds , their houses are filled with deceit . That is why they become powerful and rich . * »They grow big and fat . Their evil deeds have no limits . They have no respect for the rights of others . They have no respect for the rights of orphans . But they still prosper . They do not defend the rights of the poor . * »I will punish them for these things ,« declares Jehovah . »I will punish these people ! * »Something horrible and disgusting is happening in the land . * ‘Prophets prophesy falsehoods . Priests rule under the prophets ' directions , and my people love this . But what will you do when the end comes ?’«

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