| New King James Version | King James Bible |
| 1O Israel, return to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; | 1O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. |
| 2Take words with you, And return to the LORD. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. | 2Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. |
| 3Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’ For in You the fatherless finds mercy.” | 3Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. |
| 4“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him. | 4I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. |
| 5I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. | 5I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. |
| 6His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon. | 6His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. |
| 7Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon. | 7They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. |
| 8“Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’ I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in Me.” | 8Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. |
| 9Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them. | 9Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
|
    |