Joel 2:17 — Compare Translations

28 translations compared side by side

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

Between the porch and the altar weep let the priests, ministrants of Jehovah, And let them say: `Have pity, O Jehovah, on Thy people, And give not Thy inheritance to reproach, To the ruling over them of nations, Why do they say among peoples, Where [is] their God?`

English ASV

Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Jehovah, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?

English Amplified

Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar; and let them say, Have pity and spare Your people, O Lord, and give not Your heritage to reproach, that the [heathen] nations should rule over them or use a byword against them. Why should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

Let the priests who minister before the Lord weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

Let the priests, the LORD’s ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say: “Have pity on your people, LORD, and do not make your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare, O Jehovah, thy people, and give not thine inheritance to reproach, that they should be a byword of the nations. Wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?

English EASY 2024

The priests should weep, as they serve the Lord between the temple door and the altar. They must pray, ‘ Lord, Please be kind to your people. Do not allow the people of foreign nations to laugh at your own people. Do not allow them to insult us. They should not say about us, “Their God cannot help them.” ’

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

Let the priests, the Lord's servants, cry between the porch and the altar. All of them should say this: "Lord, have mercy on your people. Don't let your people be put to shame. Don't let other people tell jokes about your people. Don't let the other nations laugh at us and say, 'Where is their God?'"

Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

English GNT (Good News Translation)

The priests, serving the Lord between the altar and the entrance of the Temple, must weep and pray: “Have pity on your people, Lord. Do not let other nations despise us and mock us by saying, ‘Where is your God?’”

English God's Word - GW 1995

The priests who serve the Lord cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple. They say, "Spare your people, O Lord. Don't let the people who belong to you become a disgrace. Don't let the nations ridicule them. Why should people ask, 'Where is their God?' "

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

Let the priests, the LORD's ministers, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say: "Have pity on Your people, LORD, and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

English KJV 1611

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

English LSB

Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, “Pity Your people, O Yahweh, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’”

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

Between the temple porch and the altar, let the priests, ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Have pity upon Your people, and do not make Your inheritance a disgrace, a mockery among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'"

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

Let the priests, those who serve the LORD, weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say, “Have pity, O LORD, on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, “Where is their God?”

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

Let the priests who serve the Lord sob. Let them cry between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Lord, spare your people. Don't let others make fun of them. Don't let the nations laugh at them. Don't let them tease your people and say, 'Where is their God?' "

English NIV

Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

English NKJ 1982

Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

English NLT

The priests, who minister in the LORD's presence, will stand between the people and the altar, weeping. Let them pray, "Spare your people, LORD! They belong to you, so don't let them become an object of mockery. Don't let their name become a proverb of unbelieving foreigners who say, `Where is the God of Israel? He must be helpless!'"

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"

English Passion Translation Bible 2020

With everyone gathered in the courtyard, the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, must stand weeping between the portico and the altar of burnt offering. Let them face the sanctuary and intercede, saying, “Spare your people! Have pity, Yahweh! Do not expose your very own people to the contempt and sarcasm of the nations. Why give the nations cause to say, ‘Where is their God now?’ ”

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare thy people, O Lord, and make not thy heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

The priests, the ministers of God, will stand between the people and the altar, weeping; and they will pray, “Spare your people, O our God; don't let the heathen rule them, for they belong to you. Don't let them be disgraced by the taunts of the heathen who say, 'Where is this God of theirs? How weak and helpless he must be!' “

English Tyndale 1537

Let the priests serve the LORD betwixt the porch and the alter, weeping and saying: be favourable O LORD, be favourable unto thy people: let not thine heritage be brought to such confusion, lest the Heathen be lords thereof. Wherefore should they say among the Heathen: where is now their God?(Let the priests that minister unto the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and say: spare (Lord) thy people and deliver not thine heritage unto rebuke that the heathen should reign over them. Why should they say: among the nations, where is their God?)