Day after day they worship me. They seem ready and willing to know how I want them to live. They act as if they were a nation that does what is right. They act as if they have not turned away from my commands. They claim to want me to give them fair decisions. They seem ready and willing to come near and worship me.

他们天天寻求我，乐意明白我的道，好像行义的国民，不离弃他们神的典章，向我求问公义的判语，喜悦亲近神。

他们天天寻求我，乐意明白我的道，好像行义的国家，未离弃它的上帝的典章；他们向我求问公义的判词，喜悦亲近上帝。

他们天天寻求我，乐意明白我的道，好像行义的国家，未离弃它的神的典章；他们向我求问公义的判词，喜悦亲近神。

他们天天寻求我，好像渴慕认识我的律法，俨然像没有丢弃他们上帝法令的正义之邦。他们向我求公义的判决，似乎渴慕到我面前。

他们天天寻求我，乐意明白我的道路，好像行义的国民，不离弃他们神的公理；他们向我求问公义的判语，又喜欢亲近神。

他们天天寻求我，喜爱认识我的道路，好像行公义的国民，不离弃自己神的法规；他们向我求问公义的判断，喜爱在神的近旁；

他們天天尋求我，樂意明白我的道，好像行義的國民，不離棄他們神的典章，向我求問公義的判語，喜悅親近神。

他們天天尋求我，樂意明白我的道，好像行義的國家，未離棄它的上帝的典章；他們向我求問公義的判詞，喜悅親近上帝。

他們天天尋求我，樂意明白我的道，好像行義的國家，未離棄它的神的典章；他們向我求問公義的判詞，喜悅親近神。

他們天天尋求我，好像渴慕認識我的律法，儼然像沒有丟棄他們上帝法令的正義之邦。他們向我求公義的判決，似乎渴慕到我面前。

他們天天尋求我，樂意明白我的道路，好像行義的國民，不離棄他們神的公理；他們向我求問公義的判語，又喜歡親近神。

他們天天尋求的乃是我！他們喜歡明白的是我的道路！他們好像行義之國的人！不離棄他們的上帝之典章的！他們向我求問公義的審判，他們喜歡親近上帝呢！

他們天天尋求我，喜愛認識我的道路，好像行公義的國民，不離棄自己神的法規；他們向我求問公義的判斷，喜愛在神的近旁；

彼日尋我、樂知我道、求我示以義律、悅親上帝有若行義之民、未違上帝之律、

彼日崇事余、求我道、詰我法、欣然詣我前、幾與行義之民、不違上帝無異。

彼眾日日尋求我、願明我道、似乎行義之民、不違其天主法度者、以義理求問於我、悅與天主相近、

For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.

Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.

Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.

They seek me day after day and delight to know my ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not abandon the justice of their God. They ask me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.”

Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God.

Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God.

Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near unto God.

They seek Me day after day and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not abandon the justice of their God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.”

Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.

Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways. As a nation that did righteousness, and didn’t forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments. They delight to draw near to God.

The Lord says,“ These people worship me only with their words. They honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me. Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules that they have been taught.

They claim to know God. But their actions show they don’t know him. They are hated by God. They refuse to obey him. They aren’t fit to do anything good.

You pretenders! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. He said,“‘ These people honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me.Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules.’ ”( Isaiah 29:13)

People of Jacob, listen to me. You are called by the name of Israel. You come from the family line of Judah. You make promises in the name of the Lord. You pray to Israel’s God. But you aren’t honest. You don’t mean what you say.You call yourselves citizens of the holy city of Jerusalem. You say you depend on Israel’s God. His name is the Lord Who Rules Over All. He says,

So get rid of everything that is sinful. Get rid of the evil that is all around us. Don’t be too proud to accept the word that is planted in you. It can save you.Don’t just listen to the word. You fool yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says.

John was like a lamp that burned and gave light. For a while you chose to enjoy his light.

The Lord hates the sacrifice of sinful people. But the prayers of honest people please him.

You made a big mistake when you asked me to pray to the Lord your God. You said,‘ Pray to the Lord our God for us. Tell us everything he says. We’ll do it.’

All of them said to Jeremiah the prophet,“ Please listen to our appeal. Pray to the Lord your God. Pray for all of us who are left here. Once there were many of us. But as you can see, only a few of us are left now.

They came to him and said,“ Teacher, we know that you are a man of honor. You don’t let other people tell you what to do or say. You don’t care how important they are. But you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right to pay the royal tax to Caesar or not?

because Herod was afraid of John. So he kept John safe. Herod knew John was a holy man who did what was right. When Herod heard him, he was very puzzled. But he liked to listen to John.

“ Son of man, your people are talking about you. They are getting together by the walls of their houses and at their doors. They are saying to one another,‘ Come. Listen to the Lord’ s message.’My people come to you, just as they usually do. They sit in front of you. They hear what you say. But they do not put it into practice. With their mouths they say they love me. But in their hearts they want what belongs to others. They try to get rich by cheating them.You are nothing more to them than someone who sings love songs. They say you have a beautiful voice. They think you play an instrument well. They hear what you say. But they do not put it into practice.“ Everything I have told you will come true. You can be sure of it. Then the people will know that a prophet has been among them.”

The Lord heard you when you spoke to me. He said to me,“ I have heard what these people said to you. Everything they said was good.But I wish they would always have respect for me in their hearts. I wish they would always obey all my commands. Then things would go well with them and their children forever.

“ Do you think I need any more of your sacrifices?” asks the Lord.“ I have more than enough of your burnt offerings. I have more than enough of rams and the fat of your fattest animals. I do not find any pleasure in the blood of your bulls, lambs and goats.Who asked you to bring all these animals when you come to worship me? Who asked you and your animals to walk all over my courtyards?Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me! I hate your incense. I can’t stand your worthless gatherings. I can’t stand the way you celebrate your New Moon feasts, Sabbath days and special services.Your New Moon feasts and your other appointed feasts I hate with my whole being. They have become a heavy load to me. I am tired of carrying it.You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray. But I do not look at you. You might even offer many prayers. But I am not listening to them. Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered.

What if some people fall away from the faith? It won’t be possible to bring them back. It is true that they have seen the light. They have tasted the heavenly gift. They have shared in the Holy Spirit.They have tasted the good things of God’s word. They have tasted the powers of the age to come.But they have fallen away from the faith. So it won’t be possible to bring them back. They won’t be able to turn away from their sins. They are losing everything. That’s because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross all over again. They are bringing shame on him in front of everyone.

Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Make your hearts pure, you who can’t make up your minds.

So get rid of every kind of evil, and stop telling lies. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Stop wanting what others have, and don’t speak against one another.Like newborn babies, you should long for the pure milk of God’s word. It will help you grow up as believers.

And what is seed scattered on rocky places like? The people hear the message. At once they receive it with joy.But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message.

The soldiers took sheep and cattle from what had been taken from our enemies. They took the best of what had been set apart to God. They wanted to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”But Samuel replied,“ What pleases the Lord more? Burnt offerings and sacrifices, or obeying the Lord? It is better to obey than to offer a sacrifice. It is better to do what he says than to offer the fat of rams.Refusing to obey the Lord is as sinful as using evil magic. Being proud is as evil as worshiping statues of gods. You have refused to do what the Lord told you to do. So he has refused to have you as king.”Then Saul said to Samuel,“ I have sinned. I’ve broken the Lord’ s command. I haven’t done what you directed me to do. I was afraid of the men. So I did what they said I should do.Now I beg you, forgive my sin. Come back into town with me so I can worship the Lord.”