the Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, the people who live in the desert in remote places, and yes, even the people of Judah. And like all these pagan nations, the people of Israel also have uncircumcised hearts.”

就是埃及、犹大、以东、亚扪人、摩押人，和一切住在旷野剃周围头发的；因为列国人都没有受割礼，以色列人心中也没有受割礼。”

就是埃及、犹大、以东、亚扪人、摩押人，和住旷野所有剃鬓发的人；因为列国都未受割礼，以色列全家心中也未受割礼。”

就是埃及、犹大、以东、亚扪人、摩押人，和住旷野所有剃鬓发的人；因为列国都未受割礼，以色列全家心中也未受割礼。”

就是埃及人、犹大人、以东人、亚扪人、摩押人和所有住在旷野、剃了鬓发的人，因为这些人，包括以色列人，都没有受过真正的割礼，没有受过内心的割礼。”

就是埃及、犹大、以东、亚扪、摩押和所有剃除鬓发，住在旷野的人；因为列国的人都没有受过割礼，甚至以色列全家的内心也没有受过割礼。”

就是埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫人、摩押人，和一切住在曠野剃周圍頭髮的；因為列國人都沒有受割禮，以色列人心中也沒有受割禮。」

就是埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫人、摩押人，和住曠野所有剃鬢髮的人；因為列國都未受割禮，以色列全家心中也未受割禮。」

就是埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫人、摩押人，和住曠野所有剃鬢髮的人；因為列國都未受割禮，以色列全家心中也未受割禮。」

就是埃及人、猶大人、以東人、亞捫人、摩押人和所有住在曠野、剃了鬢髮的人，因為這些人，包括以色列人，都沒有受過真正的割禮，沒有受過內心的割禮。」

就是埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫、摩押和所有剃除鬢髮，住在曠野的人；因為列國的人都沒有受過割禮，甚至以色列全家的內心也沒有受過割禮。”

就是埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫人、摩押人、和所有住曠野、將鬢邊頭髮剃成了圓形的人；因為列國人心沒受割禮，以色列全家心也沒受割禮。』

即埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫族、摩押、及凡薙鬚鬢、居曠野者、蓋列邦俱未受割、以色列家、中心亦未受割也、

埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫、摩押、與薙鬚之四周、居於曠野者、俱未受割、以色列族心未受割、皆遭重譴。

即罰伊及、猶大、以東、亞捫族、摩押、與凡薙髮之四周、居於曠野者、蓋此諸國之民、皆未受割禮、以色列族心中不潔、如未受割禮、

Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”

That includes the people of Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon and Moab. It also includes all those who live in the desert in places far away. None of the people in these nations is really circumcised. And not even the people of Israel are circumcised in their hearts.”

Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

Egypt, Judah, Edom, the Ammonites, Moab, and all the inhabitants of the desert who clip the hair on their temples. All these nations are uncircumcised, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.’”

Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all those inhabiting the desert who trim the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart.”

Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”

Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners of their hair cut off, that dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.

Egypt, Judah, Edom, the Ammonites, Moab, and all the inhabitants of the desert who clip the hair on their temples. All these nations are uncircumcised, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”

Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all[ that are] in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all[ these] nations[ are] uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel[ are] uncircumcised in the heart.

That is, I will punish the Egyptians, the Judeans, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and all the desert people who cut their hair short at the temples. I will do so because none of the people of those nations are really circumcised in the Lord’ s sight. Moreover, none of the people of Israel are circumcised when it comes to their hearts.”

Egypt, Judah, Edom, the children of Ammon, Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

When I have turned their hostility back on them and brought them to the land of their enemies, then at last their stubborn hearts will be humbled, and they will pay for their sins.

O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.

You have brought uncircumcised foreigners into my sanctuary— people who have no heart for God. In this way, you defiled my Temple even as you offered me my food, the fat and blood of sacrifices. In addition to all your other detestable sins, you have broken my covenant.

“ You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!

Their camels and other livestock will all be yours. I will scatter to the winds these people who live in remote places. I will bring calamity upon them from every direction,” says the Lord.

For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

On January 15, during the ninth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord:“ Son of man, write down today’s date, because on this very day the king of Babylon is beginning his attack against Jerusalem.Then give these rebels an illustration with this message from the Sovereign Lord:“ Put a pot on the fire, and pour in some water.Fill it with choice pieces of meat— the rump and the shoulder and all the most tender cuts.Use only the best sheep from the flock, and heap fuel on the fire beneath the pot. Bring the pot to a boil, and cook the bones along with the meat.“ Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: What sorrow awaits Jerusalem, the city of murderers! She is a cooking pot whose corruption can’t be cleaned out. Take the meat out in random order, for no piece is better than another.For the blood of her murders is splashed on the rocks. It isn’t even spilled on the ground, where the dust could cover it!So I will splash her blood on a rock for all to see, an expression of my anger and vengeance against her.“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: What sorrow awaits Jerusalem, the city of murderers! I myself will pile up the fuel beneath her.Yes, heap on the wood! Let the fire roar to make the pot boil. Cook the meat with many spices, and afterward burn the bones.Now set the empty pot on the coals. Heat it red hot! Burn away the filth and corruption.But it’s hopeless; the corruption can’t be cleaned out. So throw it into the fire.Your impurity is your lewdness and the corruption of your idolatry. I tried to cleanse you, but you refused. So now you will remain in your filth until my fury against you has been satisfied.“ I, the Lord, have spoken! The time has come, and I won’t hold back. I will not change my mind, and I will have no pity on you. You will be judged on the basis of all your wicked actions, says the Sovereign Lord.”Then this message came to me from the Lord:“ Son of man, with one blow I will take away your dearest treasure. Yet you must not show any sorrow at her death. Do not weep; let there be no tears.Groan silently, but let there be no wailing at her grave. Do not uncover your head or take off your sandals. Do not perform the usual rituals of mourning or accept any food brought to you by consoling friends.”So I proclaimed this to the people the next morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did everything I had been told to do.Then the people asked,“ What does all this mean? What are you trying to tell us?”So I said to them,“ A message came to me from the Lord,and I was told to give this message to the people of Israel. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will defile my Temple, the source of your security and pride, the place your heart delights in. Your sons and daughters whom you left behind in Judah will be slaughtered by the sword.Then you will do as Ezekiel has done. You will not mourn in public or console yourselves by eating the food brought by friends.Your heads will remain covered, and your sandals will not be taken off. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins. You will groan among yourselves for all the evil you have done.Ezekiel is an example for you; you will do just as he has done. And when that time comes, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”Then the Lord said to me,“ Son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold— their joy and glory, their heart’s desire, their dearest treasure— I will also take away their sons and daughters.And on that day a survivor from Jerusalem will come to you in Babylon and tell you what has happened.And when he arrives, your voice will suddenly return so you can talk to him, and you will be a symbol for these people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

This message was given to Amos, a shepherd from the town of Tekoa in Judah. He received this message in visions two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, was king of Israel.This is what he saw and heard:“ The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem! The lush pastures of the shepherds will dry up; the grass on Mount Carmel will wither and die.”

In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth.For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will say,“ Blessed be Egypt, my people. Blessed be Assyria, the land I have made. Blessed be Israel, my special possession!”

Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through their ambassadors who have come to see King Zedekiah in Jerusalem.Give them this message for their masters:‘ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose.Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control.All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up. Then many nations and great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon.

Isaiah son of Amoz received this message concerning the destruction of Babylon:“ Raise a signal flag on a bare hilltop. Call up an army against Babylon. Wave your hand to encourage them as they march into the palaces of the high and mighty.I, the Lord, have dedicated these soldiers for this task. Yes, I have called mighty warriors to express my anger, and they will rejoice when I am exalted.”Hear the noise on the mountains! Listen, as the vast armies march! It is the noise and shouting of many nations. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has called this army together.They come from distant countries, from beyond the farthest horizons. They are the Lord’s weapons to carry out his anger. With them he will destroy the whole land.Scream in terror, for the day of the Lord has arrived— the time for the Almighty to destroy.Every arm is paralyzed with fear. Every heart melts,and people are terrified. Pangs of anguish grip them, like those of a woman in labor. They look helplessly at one another, their faces aflame with fear.For see, the day of the Lord is coming— the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger. The land will be made desolate, and all the sinners destroyed with it.The heavens will be black above them; the stars will give no light. The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will provide no light.“ I, the Lord, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty.I will make people scarcer than gold— more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.For I will shake the heavens. The earth will move from its place when the Lord of Heaven’s Armies displays his wrath in the day of his fierce anger.”Everyone in Babylon will run about like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd. They will try to find their own people and flee to their own land.Anyone who is captured will be cut down— run through with a sword.Their little children will be dashed to death before their eyes. Their homes will be sacked, and their wives will be raped.“ Look, I will stir up the Medes against Babylon. They cannot be tempted by silver or bribed with gold.The attacking armies will shoot down the young men with arrows. They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for children.”Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean pride, will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them.Babylon will never be inhabited again. It will remain empty for generation after generation. Nomads will refuse to camp there, and shepherds will not bed down their sheep.Desert animals will move into the ruined city, and the houses will be haunted by howling creatures. Owls will live among the ruins, and wild goats will go there to dance.Hyenas will howl in its fortresses, and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces. Babylon’s days are numbered; its time of destruction will soon arrive.

I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever.I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out.This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.“ Then, after the seventy years of captivity are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins,” says the Lord.“ I will make the country of the Babylonians a wasteland forever.I will bring upon them all the terrors I have promised in this book— all the penalties announced by Jeremiah against the nations.Many nations and great kings will enslave the Babylonians, just as they enslaved my people. I will punish them in proportion to the suffering they cause my people.”This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me:“ Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it.When they drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them.”So I took the cup of anger from the Lord and made all the nations drink from it— every nation to which the Lord sent me.I went to Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah, and their kings and officials drank from the cup. From that day until this, they have been a desolate ruin, an object of horror, contempt, and cursing.I gave the cup to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials, and all his people,along with all the foreigners living in that land. I also gave it to all the kings of the land of Uz and the kings of the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and what remains of Ashdod.Then I gave the cup to the nations of Edom, Moab, and Ammon,and the kings of Tyre and Sidon, and the kings of the regions across the sea.I gave it to Dedan, Tema, and Buz, and to the people who live in distant places.I gave it to the kings of Arabia, the kings of the nomadic tribes of the desert,and to the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media.And I gave it to the kings of the northern countries, far and near, one after the other— all the kingdoms of the world. And finally, the king of Babylon himself drank from the cup of the Lord’s anger.

“ The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!

The Lord gave this message to Zephaniah when Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah.“ I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” says the Lord.

The following messages were given to Jeremiah the prophet from the Lord concerning foreign nations.This message concerning Egypt was given in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, the king of Judah, on the occasion of the battle of Carchemish when Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, and his army were defeated beside the Euphrates River by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.“ Prepare your shields, and advance into battle!Harness the horses, and mount the stallions. Take your positions. Put on your helmets. Sharpen your spears, and prepare your armor.But what do I see? The Egyptian army flees in terror. The bravest of its fighting men run without a backward glance. They are terrorized at every turn,” says the Lord.“ The swiftest runners cannot flee; the mightiest warriors cannot escape. By the Euphrates River to the north, they stumble and fall.“ Who is this, rising like the Nile at floodtime, overflowing all the land?It is the Egyptian army, overflowing all the land, boasting that it will cover the earth like a flood, destroying cities and their people.Charge, you horses and chariots; attack, you mighty warriors of Egypt! Come, all you allies from Ethiopia, Libya, and Lydia who are skilled with the shield and bow!For this is the day of the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, a day of vengeance on his enemies. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, yes, until it is drunk with your blood! The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will receive a sacrifice today in the north country beside the Euphrates River.“ Go up to Gilead to get medicine, O virgin daughter of Egypt! But your many treatments will bring you no healing.The nations have heard of your shame. The earth is filled with your cries of despair. Your mightiest warriors will run into each other and fall down together.”Then the Lord gave the prophet Jeremiah this message about King Nebuchadnezzar’s plans to attack Egypt.“ Shout it out in Egypt! Publish it in the cities of Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes! Mobilize for battle, for the sword will devour everyone around you.Why have your warriors fallen? They cannot stand, for the Lord has knocked them down.They stumble and fall over each other and say among themselves,‘ Come, let’s go back to our people, to the land of our birth. Let’s get away from the sword of the enemy!’There they will say,‘ Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is a loudmouth who missed his opportunity!’“ As surely as I live,” says the King, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,“ one is coming against Egypt who is as tall as Mount Tabor, or as Mount Carmel by the sea!Pack up! Get ready to leave for exile, you citizens of Egypt! The city of Memphis will be destroyed, without a single inhabitant.Egypt is as sleek as a beautiful heifer, but a horsefly from the north is on its way!Egypt’s mercenaries have become like fattened calves. They, too, will turn and run, for it is a day of great disaster for Egypt, a time of great punishment.Egypt flees, silent as a serpent gliding away. The invading army marches in; they come against her with axes like woodsmen.They will cut down her people like trees,” says the Lord,“ for they are more numerous than locusts.Egypt will be humiliated; she will be handed over to people from the north.”The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:“ I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes, and all the other gods of Egypt. I will punish its rulers and Pharaoh, too, and all who trust in him.I will hand them over to those who want them killed— to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his army. But afterward the land will recover from the ravages of war. I, the Lord, have spoken!“ But do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel. For I will bring you home again from distant lands, and your children will return from their exile. Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet, and no one will terrorize them.Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, for I am with you,” says the Lord.“ I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished.”

“ So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigners, including those who live among the people of Israel, will enter my sanctuary if they have not been circumcised and have not surrendered themselves to the Lord.