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Ruth 1:10-19

Ruth 1:10-19 New Century Version (NCV)

They said to her, “No, we want to go with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “My daughters, return to your own homes. Why do you want to go with me? I cannot give birth to more sons to give you new husbands; go back, my daughters, to your own homes. I am too old to have another husband. Even if I told myself, ‘I still have hope’ and had another husband tonight, and even if I had more sons, should you wait until they were grown into men? Should you live for so many years without husbands? Don’t do that, my daughters. My life is much too sad for you to share, because the LORD has been against me!” The women cried together out loud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law Naomi good-bye, but Ruth held on to her tightly. Naomi said to Ruth, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and her own gods. Go back with her.” But Ruth said, “Don’t beg me to leave you or to stop following you. Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. I ask the LORD to punish me terribly if I do not keep this promise: Not even death will separate us.” When Naomi saw that Ruth had firmly made up her mind to go with her, she stopped arguing with her. So Naomi and Ruth went on until they came to the town of Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, all the people became very excited. The women of the town said, “Is this really Naomi?”

Ruth 1:10-19 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Through their tears, they said to her, “No! We want to be with you and go with you to your people.” “My daughters, you must go back,” Naomi answered. “Why do you want to come with me? Do you think I could have sons again to give you new husbands? Turn around my daughters and go back home, for I’m too old to marry again. Even if I thought there was still hope for me, and married today and gave birth to sons, would you wait until they had grown up? Should you live for so many years without husbands? No, my daughters, you must not return with me. My life is too bitter for you to share it with me because YAHWEH has brought calamity to my life!” When they heard Naomi’s words, Orpah and Ruth wailed and sobbed again. Then Orpah embraced and kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and went back home, but Ruth clung tightly to Naomi and refused to let go of her. Naomi said, “Ruth, listen. Your sister-in-law is going back to Moab to her people and to her gods. Now go with her.” But tearfully, Ruth insisted, “Please don’t ask me again to leave you! I want to go with you and stay with you. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will now be my people, and your God will now be my God. Wherever you die, I will die there, too; that’s where your people will bury me—next to you. Nothing but death itself will separate me from you, so help me God!” When Naomi realized that Ruth’s heart was set on going with her, she said nothing more. Naomi and Ruth traveled together from Moab until they came to Bethlehem. The entire town was buzzing when they heard they had arrived! Astounded, the women of the town said to one another, “Is this really Naomi, who left us so long ago?”