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Monday, September 16th, 2024
the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Bible Reading Plan

Daily Bible Reading

October 25 - Old & New Testament
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Jeremiah 20,35,36

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Jeremiah Beaten by Pashhur

1 Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer(a) and chief official in the temple of the Lord , heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. 2 So Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put him in the stocks at the Upper Benjamin Gate in the Lord 's temple. 3 The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, "The Lord does not call you Pashhur, but Magor-missabib,[a] 4 for this is what the Lord says, ‘I am about to make you a terror to both yourself and those you love.(b) They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will deport them to Babylon and put them to the sword. 5 I will give away all the wealth of this city, all its products(c) and valuables. Indeed, I will hand all the treasures of the kings of Judah over to their enemies. They will plunder them, seize them, and carry them off to Babylon. 6 As for you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, you will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon. There you will die, and there you will be buried, you and all your friends that you prophesied falsely(d) to.'"

Jeremiah Compelled to Preach

7 You deceived me, Lord , and I was deceived.
You seized me and prevailed.
I am a laughingstock all the time;(e)
everyone ridicules me.
8 For whenever I speak, I cry out,
I proclaim, "Violence and destruction!"(f)
because the word of the Lord has become for me
constant disgrace and derision.
9 If I say, "I won't mention Him
or speak any longer in His name,"
His message becomes a fire burning in my heart,(g)
shut up in my bones.
I become tired of holding it in,
and I cannot prevail.
10 For I have heard the gossip of many people,
"Terror is on every side![b](h)
Report him; let's report him!"
Everyone I trusted[c] watches for my fall.(i)
"Perhaps he will be deceived
so that we might prevail against him
and take our vengeance on him."
11 But the Lord is with me like a violent warrior.(j)
Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly shamed,
an everlasting humiliation that will never be forgotten.
12  Lord of Hosts, testing the righteous
and seeing the heart[d] and mind,
let me see Your vengeance on them,
for I have presented my case to You.(k)
13 Sing to the Lord !
Praise the Lord ,
for He rescues the life of the needy
from the hand of evil people.

Jeremiah's Lament

14 May the day I was born
be cursed.(l)
May the day my mother bore me
never be blessed.
15 May the man be cursed
who brought the news to my father, saying,
"A male child is born to you,"
bringing him great joy.
16 Let that man be like the cities
the Lord demolished without compassion.(m)
Let him hear an outcry in the morning(n)
and a war cry at noontime
17 because he didn't kill me in the womb(o)
so that my mother might have been my grave,
her womb eternally pregnant.
18 Why did I come out of the womb
to see only struggle and sorrow,(p)
to end my life in shame?

Zedekiah's Request Denied

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur(a) son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah(b) son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah, asking, 2 "Ask the Lord on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar[a](c) king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will perform for us something like all His past wonderful works so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us."

3 But Jeremiah answered, "This is what you are to say to Zedekiah: 4 ‘This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: I will repel the weapons of war in your hands,(d) those you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans[b] who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will bring them into the center of this city.(e) 5 I will fight against you(f) with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm,(g) with anger, rage, and great wrath. 6 I will strike the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a great plague. 7 Afterward'"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"‘King Zedekiah of Judah, his officers, and the people—those in this city who survive the plague, the sword, and the famine—I will hand over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,(h) to their enemies, yes, to those who want to take their lives. He will put them to the sword; he won't spare them or show pity or compassion.'(i)

A Warning for the People

8 "But you must say to this people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am presenting to you the way of life and the way of death.(j) 9 Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live and will retain his life like the spoils of war.(k) 10 For I have turned[c] against this city to bring disaster(l) and not good'"—this is the Lord 's declaration. "‘It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, who will burn it down.'(m)

11 "And to the house of the king of Judah say this: ‘Hear the word of the Lord ! 12 House of David, this is what the Lord says:

Administer justice every morning,
and rescue the victim of robbery
from the hand of his oppressor,(n)
or My anger will flare up like fire
and burn unquenchably
because of their evil deeds.
13 Beware! I am against you,(o)
you who sit above the valley,
you atop the rocky plateau—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
you who say, "Who can come down against us?(p)
Who can enter our hiding places?"
14 I will punish you according to what you have done(q)
this is the Lord 's declaration.
I will kindle a fire in its forest(r)
that will consume everything around it.'"(s)

Judgment against Sinful Kings

1 This is what the Lord says: "Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and announce this word there. 2 You are to say: Hear the word of the Lord , king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David—you, your officers, and your people who enter these gates. 3 This is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness.(a) Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor.(b) Don't exploit or brutalize the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Don't shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David's throne will enter through the gates of this palace(c) riding on chariots and horses—they, their officers, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"that this house will become a ruin."(d)

6 For this is what the Lord says concerning the house of the king of Judah:

You are like Gilead to Me,
or the summit of Lebanon,
but I will certainly turn you into a wilderness,
uninhabited cities.
7 I will appoint destroyers against you,
each with his weapons.
They will cut down the choicest of your cedars
and throw them into the fire.

8 "Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why did the Lord do such a thing to this great city?' 9 They will answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant(e) of Yahweh their God and worshiped and served other gods.'"(f)

A Message Concerning Shallum

10 Do not weep for the dead;
do not mourn for him.
Weep bitterly for the one[a] who has gone away,
for he will never return again
and see his native land.

11 For this is what the Lord says concerning Shallum(g) son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in place of his father Josiah: "He has left this place—he will never return here again, 12 but he will die in the place where they deported him, never seeing this land again."

A Message concerning Jehoiakim

13 Woe for the one who builds his palace
through unrighteousness,(h)
his upper rooms through injustice,
who makes his fellow man serve without pay
and will not give him his wages,(i)
14 who says, "I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upper rooms."
He will cut windows[b] in it,
and it will be paneled with cedar
and painted with vermilion.
15 Are you a king because you excel in cedar?
Didn't your father eat and drink
and administer justice and righteousness?(j)
Then it went well with him.
16 He took up the case of the poor and needy,
then it went well.
Is this not what it means to know Me?
This is the Lord 's declaration.
17 But you have eyes and a heart for nothing
except your own dishonest profit,
shedding innocent blood
and committing extortion and oppression.

18 Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim(k) son of Josiah, king of Judah:

They will not mourn for him, saying,
"Woe, my brother!" or "Woe, my sister!"
They will not mourn for him, saying,
"Woe, lord! Woe, his majesty!"
19 He will be buried like a donkey,(l)
dragged off and thrown
outside the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Go up to Lebanon and cry out;
raise your voice in Bashan;
cry out from Abarim,(m)
for all your lovers[c] have been crushed.(n)
21 I spoke to you when you were secure.
You said, "I will not listen."
This has been your way since youth;(o)
indeed, you have never listened to Me.
22 The wind will take charge of[d] all your shepherds,
and your lovers[e] will go into captivity.
Then you will be ashamed and humiliated(p)
because of all your evil.
23 You residents of Lebanon,
nestled among the cedars,
how you will groan[f] when labor pains come on you,
agony like a woman in labor.(q)

A Message concerning Coniah

24 "As I live," says the Lord , "though you, Coniah[g](r) son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, were a signet ring(s) on My right hand, I would tear you from it. 25 In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread,(t) who want to take your life, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Chaldeans. 26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave birth(u) to you into another land,(v) where neither of you were born, and there you will both die. 27 They will never return to the land they long to return to."

28 Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered pot,(w)
a jar no one wants?
Why are he and his descendants hurled out
and cast into a land they have not known?
29 Earth, earth, earth,
hear the word of the Lord !

30 This is what the Lord says:

Record this man as childless,(x)
a man who will not be successful in his lifetime.
None of his descendants will succeed
in sitting on the throne of David(y)
or ruling again in Judah.

The Lord and His Sheep

1 "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!"(a) This is the Lord 's declaration. 2 "Therefore, this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, banished them, and have not attended to them.(b) I will attend to you because of your evil acts"—this is the Lord 's declaration. 3 "I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous.(c) 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them.(d) They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing." This is the Lord 's declaration.

The Righteous Branch of David

5 "The days are coming"(e)—this is the Lord 's declaration—
"when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of David.(f)
He will reign wisely as king
and administer justice and righteousness in the land.(g)
6 In His days Judah will be saved,
and Israel will dwell securely.(h)
This is what He will be named:
Yahweh Our Righteousness.(i)

7 "The days are coming"—the Lord 's declaration—"when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites from the land of Egypt,'(j) 8 but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the land of the north and from all the other countries where I[a] had banished them.' They will dwell once more in their own land."(k)

False Prophets Condemned

9 Concerning the prophets:

My heart is broken within me,(l)
and all my bones tremble.
I have become like a drunkard,
like a man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord ,
because of His holy words.
10 For the land is full of adulterers;(m)
the land mourns because of the curse,
and the grazing lands in the wilderness have dried up.
Their way of life[b] has become evil,
and their power is not rightly used
11 because both prophet and priest are ungodly,(n)
even in My house I have found their evil.
This is the Lord 's declaration.
12 Therefore, their way will be to them
like slippery paths in the gloom.(o)
They will be driven away and fall down there,
for I will bring disaster on them,
the year of their punishment.
This is the Lord 's declaration.

13 Among the prophets of Samaria
I saw something disgusting:
They prophesied by[c] Baal
and led My people Israel astray.(p)
14 Among the prophets of Jerusalem also
I saw a horrible thing:
They commit adultery and walk in lies.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
and none turns his back on evil.
They are all like Sodom(q) to Me;
Jerusalem's residents are like Gomorrah.

15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says concerning the prophets:

I am about to feed them wormwood
and give them poisoned water to drink,(r)
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness[d] has spread throughout the land.

16 This is what the Lord of Hosts says: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are making you worthless. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the Lord 's mouth. 17 They keep on saying to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said: You will have peace.'(s) They have said to everyone who follows the stubbornness of his heart, ‘No harm will come to you.'"

18 For who has stood in the council(t) of the Lord
to see and hear His word?
Who has paid attention to His word and obeyed?
19 Look, a storm from the Lord !(u)
Wrath has gone out,
a whirling storm.
It will whirl about the heads of the wicked.
20 The Lord 's anger will not turn back
until He has completely fulfilled the purposes of His heart.
In time to come you will understand it clearly.(v)

21 I did not send these prophets,(w)
yet they ran with a message.
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 If they had really stood in My council,
they would have enabled My people to hear My words
and would have turned them back from their evil ways
and their evil deeds.

23 "Am I a God who is only near"(x)—this is the Lord 's declaration—"and not a God who is far away? 24 Can a man hide himself in secret places where I cannot see him?"(y)—the Lord 's declaration. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?"(z)—the Lord 's declaration.

25 "I have heard what the prophets who prophesy a lie in My name have said, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!' 26 How long will this continue in the minds of the prophets prophesying lies, prophets of the deceit of their own minds? 27 Through their dreams that they tell one another, they plan to cause My people to forget My name as their fathers forgot My name through Baal worship.(aa) 28 The prophet who has only a dream should recount the dream, but the one who has My word should speak My word truthfully, for what is straw compared to grain?"—this is the Lord 's declaration. 29 "Is not My word like fire"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"and like a hammer that pulverizes rock? 30 Therefore, take note! I am against the prophets"(ab)—the Lord 's declaration—"who steal My words from each other. 31 I am against the prophets"—the Lord 's declaration—"who use their own tongues to make a declaration. 32 I am against those who prophesy false dreams"(ac)—the Lord 's declaration—"telling them and leading My people astray with their falsehoods and their boasting. It was not I who sent or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all(ad) to these people"—this is the Lord 's declaration.

The Burden of the Lord

33 "Now when these people or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the Lord ?' you will respond to them: What is the burden? I will throw you away"—this is the Lord 's declaration. 34 "As for the prophet, priest, or people who say, ‘The burden of the Lord ,' I will punish that man and his household. 35 This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?' or ‘What has the Lord spoken?' 36 But no longer refer to[e] the burden of the Lord , for each man's word becomes his burden and you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of Hosts, our God. 37 You must say to the prophet: What has the Lord answered you? and What has the Lord spoken? 38 But if you say, ‘The burden of the Lord ,' then this is what the Lord says: Because you have said, ‘The burden of the Lord ,' and I specifically told you not to say, ‘The burden of the Lord ,' 39 I will surely forget you[f] and throw away from My presence both you and the city that I gave you and your fathers. 40 I will bring on you everlasting shame and humiliation(ae) that will never be forgotten."

The Good and the Bad Figs

1 After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had deported Jeconiah[a] son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, the officials of Judah, and the craftsmen and metalsmiths(a) from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs(b) placed before the temple of the Lord . 2 One basket contained very good figs, like early figs,(c) but the other basket contained very bad figs, so bad they were inedible. 3 The Lord said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "Figs! The good figs are very good, but the bad figs are extremely bad, so bad they are inedible."

4 The word of the Lord came to me: 5 "This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: Like these good figs, so I regard as good the exiles from Judah I sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. 6 I will keep My eyes on them for their good and will return them to this land. I will build them up and not demolish them; I will plant them and not uproot them.(d) 7 I will give them a heart to know Me,(e) that I am Yahweh. They will be My people, and I will be their God because they will return to Me with all their heart.(f)

8 "But as for the bad figs, so bad they are inedible,(g) this is what the Lord says: in this way I will deal with king Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem—those remaining in this land and those living in the land of Egypt.(h) 9 I will make them an object of horror(i) and disaster to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace, an object of scorn, ridicule,(j) and cursing, wherever I have banished them. 10 I will send the sword, famine, and plague(k) against them until they have perished from the land I gave to them and their ancestors."

The Seventy-Year Exile

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(a) son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon). 2 The prophet Jeremiah spoke concerning all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem as follows: 3 "From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon,(b) king of Judah, until this very day—23 years—the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you time and time again,[a](c) but you have not obeyed. 4 The Lord sent all His servants the prophets to you time and time again,[b] but you have not obeyed or even paid attention.[c](d) 5 He announced, ‘Turn, each of you, from your[d] evil way of life and from your evil deeds.(e) Live in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors long ago and forever. 6 Do not follow other gods to serve them and to worship them,(f) and do not provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands.(g) Then I will do you no harm.

7 "‘But you would not obey Me'—this is the Lord 's declaration—‘in order that you might provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands and bring disaster on yourselves.'

8 "Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, 9 I am going to send for all the families of the north'(h)—this is the Lord 's declaration—‘and send for My servant(i) Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will bring them against this land, against its residents, and against all these surrounding nations, and I will completely destroy them and make them a desolation,(j) a derision, and ruins forever. 10 I will eliminate the sound of joy and gladness from them—the voice of the groom and the bride,(k) the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole land will become a desolate ruin, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.(l) 12 When the 70 years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation'—this is the Lord 's declaration—‘the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, and I will make it a ruin forever.(m) 13 I will bring on that land all My words I have spoken against it, all that is written in this book that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds(n) and the work of their hands.'"

The Cup of God's Wrath

15 This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, said to me: "Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and make all the nations I am sending you to, drink from it.(o) 16 They will drink, stagger,[e] and go out of their minds because of the sword I am sending among them."

17 So I took the cup from the Lord 's hand and made all the nations drink from it, everyone the Lord sent me to. 18 These included:

Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah, its kings and its officials, to make them a desolate ruin, an object of scorn and cursing—as it is today;
19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his officers, his leaders, all his people,
20 and all the mixed peoples;
all the kings of the land of Uz;
all the kings of the land of the Philistines—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
21 Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites;
22 all the kings of Tyre,
all the kings of Sidon,
and the kings of the coastlands across the sea;
23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all those who shave their temples;[f](p)
24 all the kings of Arabia,
and all the kings of the mixed peoples who have settled in the desert;
25 all the kings of Zimri,
all the kings of Elam,
and all the kings of Media;
26 all the kings of the north, both near and far from one another;
that is, all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth.
Finally, the king of Sheshach[g] will drink after them.

27 "Then you are to say to them: This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Drink,(q) get drunk, and vomit. Fall down and never get up again, as a result of the sword I am sending among you. 28 If[h] they refuse to take the cup from you and drink, you are to say to them: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: You must drink! 29 For I am already bringing disaster on the city that bears My name,(r) so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth"—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.(s)

Judgment on the Whole World

30 "As for you, you are to prophesy all these things to them, and say to them:

The Lord roars from heaven;
He raises His voice from His holy dwelling.(t)
He roars loudly over His grazing land;
He calls out with a shout, like those who tread grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 The tumult reaches to the ends of the earth
because the Lord brings a case against(u) the nations.
He enters into judgment with all flesh.
As for the wicked, He hands them over to the sword—
this is the Lord 's declaration.

32 "This is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Pay attention! Disaster spreads
from nation to nation.
A great storm is stirred up
from the ends of the earth."(v)

33 Those slain by the Lord (w) on that day will be spread from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned,(x) gathered, or buried. They will be like manure on the surface of the ground.

34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry out.
Roll in the dust,[i](y) you leaders of the flock.
Because the days of your slaughter have come,
you will fall and become shattered like a precious vase.
35 Flight will be impossible for the shepherds,
and escape, for the leaders of the flock.
36 Hear the sound of the shepherds' cry,
the wail of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 Peaceful grazing land will become lifeless
because of the Lord 's burning anger.(z)
38 He has left His den like a lion,
for their land has become a desolation
because of the sword[j] of the oppressor,(aa)
because of His burning anger.

Jeremiah's Speech in the Temple

1 At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim(a) son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord : 2 "This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord 's temple and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all Judah's cities that are coming to worship there. Do not hold back a word.(b) 3 Perhaps they will listen and return—each from his evil way of life—so that I might relent(c) concerning the disaster that I plan to do to them because of the evil of their deeds. 4 You are to say to them: This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to Me by living according to My instruction that I set before you(d) 5 and by listening to the words of My servants the prophets(e) I have been sending you time and time again,[a] though you did not listen, 6 I will make this temple like Shiloh.(f) I will make this city an object of cursing for all the nations of the earth."

Jeremiah Seized

7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the temple of the Lord . 8 He finished the address the Lord had commanded him to deliver to all the people. Then the priests, the prophets, and all the people took hold of him, yelling, "You must surely die! 9 How dare you prophesy in the name of Yahweh, ‘This temple will become like Shiloh and this city will become an uninhabited ruin'!" Then all the people assembled against Jeremiah at the Lord 's temple.

10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they went from the king's palace to the Lord 's temple and sat at the entrance of the New Gate.[b](g) 11 Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, "This man deserves the death sentence because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears."(h)

Jeremiah's Defense

12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and the people, "The Lord sent me to prophesy all the words that you have heard against this temple and city. 13 So now, correct your ways and deeds(i) and obey the voice of the Lord your God so that He might relent concerning the disaster that He warned about. 14 As for me, here I am in your hands; do to me what you think is good and right. 15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood(j) on yourselves, on this city, and on its residents, for it is certain the Lord has sent me to speak all these things directly to you."

Jeremiah Released

16 Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, "This man doesn't deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God!"

17 Some of the elders of the land stood up(k) and said to all the assembled people, 18 "Micah the Moreshite(l) prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah(m) and said to all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become ruins,
and the temple mount a forested hill.'(n)

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all the people of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and plead for the Lord 's favor,[c](o) and did not the Lord relent concerning the disaster He had pronounced against them?(p) We are about to bring great harm on ourselves!"

The Prophet Uriah

20 Another man was also prophesying in the name of Yahweh—Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim.(q) He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like all those of Jeremiah. 21 King Jehoiakim, all his warriors, and all the officials heard his words, and the king tried to put him to death. When Uriah heard, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. 22 But King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor(r) and certain other men with him went to Egypt. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who executed him with the sword and threw his corpse into the burial place of the common people.[d]

24 But Ahikam(s) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

The Yoke of Babylon

1 At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah[a] son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord :[b] 2 "This is what the Lord said to me: Make chains and yoke bars(a) for yourself and put them on your neck. 3 Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon(b) through messengers who are coming to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem. 4 Command them to go to their masters, saying: This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: This is what you must say to your masters: 5 By My great strength and outstretched arm,(c) I made the earth,(d) and the people, and animals on the face of the earth. I give it to anyone I please.[c](e) 6 So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant(f) Nebuchadnezzar,(g) king of Babylon. I have even given him the wild animals to serve him. 7 All nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until the time for his own land comes, and then many nations and great kings will enslave him.(h)

8 "As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"until through him I have destroyed it. 9 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, diviners,(i) dreamers, fortune-tellers,(j) or sorcerers(k) who say to you, ‘Don't serve the king of Babylon!' 10 for they prophesy a lie to you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish. 11 But as for the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in its own land, and that nation will cultivate[d] it and reside in it." This is the Lord 's declaration.

Warning to Zedekiah

12 I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah(l) in the same way: "Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live! 13 Why should you and your people die(m) by the sword, famine, or plague as the Lord has threatened against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying a lie to you.(n) 15 ‘I have not sent them'—this is the Lord 's declaration—‘and they are prophesying falsely in My name; therefore, I will banish you, and you will perish—you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.'"

16 Then I spoke to the priests and all these people, saying, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets. They are prophesying to you, claiming, "Look, very soon now the articles of the Lord 's temple will be brought back from Babylon."(o) They are prophesying a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin?(p) 18 If they are indeed prophets and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them intercede with the Lord of Hosts not to let the articles that remain in the Lord 's temple, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem go to Babylon.' 19 For this is what the Lord of Hosts says about the pillars, the sea, the water carts,(q) and the rest of the articles that still remain in this city, 20 those Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he deported Jeconiah[e] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon along with all the nobles of Judah(r) and Jerusalem. 21 Yes, this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about the articles that remain in the temple of the Lord , in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be brought to Babylon and will remain there until I attend to them again.'(s) This is the Lord 's declaration. ‘Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.'"(t)

Hananiah's False Prophecy

1 In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah,(a) in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur from Gibeon(b) said to me in the temple of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people, 2 "This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.(c) 3 Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the Lord 's temple(d) that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from here and transported to Babylon. 4 And I will restore to this place Jeconiah[a] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah(e) who went to Babylon'—this is the Lord 's declaration—‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"

Jeremiah's Response to Hananiah

5 The prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the temple of the Lord . 6 The prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen!(f) May the Lord do so. May the Lord make the words you have prophesied come true and may He restore the articles of the Lord 's temple and all the exiles from Babylon to this place! 7 Only listen to this message I am speaking in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, disaster,[b] and plague against many lands and great kingdoms. 9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace—only when the word of the prophet comes true will the prophet be recognized as one the Lord has truly sent."(g)

Hananiah Breaks Jeremiah's Yoke

10 The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke bar from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.(h) 11 In the presence of all the people Hananiah proclaimed, "This is what the Lord says: ‘In this way, within two years I will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.'" Jeremiah the prophet then went on his way.

The Lord's Word against Hananiah

12 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke bar from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet: 13 "Go say to Hananiah: This is what the Lord says, ‘You broke a wooden yoke bar, but in its place you will make an iron yoke bar.' 14 For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says, ‘I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations that they might serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,(i) and they will serve him.(j) I have also put the wild animals under him.'"(k)

15 The prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you, but you have led these people to trust in a lie.(l) 16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to send you off the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have spoken rebellion against the Lord .'"(m) 17 And the prophet Hananiah died that year in the seventh month.

Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles

1 This is the text of the letter(a) that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exiles, the priests, the prophets, and all the people Nebuchadnezzar(b) had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after King Jeconiah,[a](c) the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had left Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah(d) whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter stated:

4 This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and live in them.(e) Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. 7 Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf,(f) for when it has prosperity, you will prosper."

8 For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "Don't let your prophets who are among you(g) and your diviners deceive you,(h) and don't listen to the dreams you elicit from them, 9 for they are prophesying falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them."(i) This is the Lord 's declaration.

10 For this is what the Lord says: "When 70 years for Babylon are complete,(j) I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you"(k)—this is the Lord 's declaration—"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.(l) 13 You will seek Me(m) and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"and I will restore your fortunes[b](n) and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you"—this is the Lord 's declaration. "I will restore you to the place I deported you from."(o)

15 You have said, "The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon!" 16 But this is what the Lord says concerning the king sitting on David's throne and concerning all the people living in this city—that is, concerning your brothers who did not go with you into exile. 17 This is what the Lord of Hosts says: "I am about to send against them sword, famine, and plague(p) and will make them like rotten figs that are inedible because they are so bad. 18 I will pursue them with sword, famine, and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse and a desolation, an object of scorn and a disgrace among all the nations where I have banished them.(q) 19 I will do this because they have not listened to My words"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"that I sent to them with My servants the prophets time and time again.[c](r) And you too have not listened." This is the Lord 's declaration.

20 Hear the word of the Lord , all you exiles I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.(s) 21 This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to Ahab son of Kolaiah and to Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, the ones prophesying a lie to you in My name:(t) "I am about to hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes. 22 Based on what happens to them, all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will create a curse(u) that says, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!'(v) 23 because they have committed an outrage(w) in Israel by committing adultery with their neighbors' wives and have spoken a lie in My name, which I did not command them. I am He who knows, and I am a witness." This is the Lord 's declaration.

24 To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you are to say, 25 "This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: You[d] in your own name have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah(x) son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying: 26 ‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada the priest to be the chief officer(y) in the temple of the Lord , responsible for every madman(z) who acts like a prophet. You must confine him in the stocks(aa) and an iron collar. 27 So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who has been acting like a prophet among you?(ab) 28 For he has sent word to us in Babylon, claiming, "The exile will be long. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce."'"(ac)

29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.

A Message about Shemaiah

30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 "Send a message to all the exiles, saying: This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and made you trust a lie,(ad) 32 this is what the Lord says: I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. There will not be even one of his descendants living among these people,(ae) nor will any ever see the good that I will bring to My people"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"for he has preached rebellion against the Lord ."(af)

Restoration from Captivity

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord . 2 This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: "Write down on a scroll all the words that I have spoken to you,(a) 3 for the days are certainly coming"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"when I will restore the fortunes[a] of My people Israel and Judah"(b)—the Lord 's declaration. "I will restore them to the land I gave to their ancestors and they will possess it."

4 These are the words the Lord spoke to Israel and Judah. 5 Yes, this is what the Lord says:

We have heard a cry of terror,
of dread—there is no peace.
6 Ask and see
whether a male can give birth.
Why then do I see every man
with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor
and every face turned pale?
7 How awful that day will be!(c)
There will be none like it!(d)
It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,
but he will be delivered out of it.

8 "On that day"—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—"I will break his yoke from your neck(e) and tear off your chains(f) so strangers will never again enslave him.(g) 9 They will serve the Lord their God and I will raise up David their king for them."(h)

10 As for you, My servant Jacob,(i)
do not be afraid—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
and do not be dismayed, Israel,
for without fail I will save you from far away,
your descendants, from the land of their captivity!
Jacob will return and have calm and quiet
with no one to frighten him.(j)
11 For I will be with you—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
to save you!(k)
I will bring destruction on all the nations
where I have scattered you;
however, I will not bring destruction on you.
I will discipline you justly,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.(l)

Healing Zion's Wounds

12 For this is what the Lord says:

Your injury is incurable;
your wound most severe.(m)
13 No one takes up the case for your sores.(n)
There is no healing for you.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you;
they no longer look for you,
for I have struck you as an enemy would,
with the discipline(o) of someone cruel,(p)
because of your enormous guilt
and your innumerable sins.
15 Why do you cry out about your injury?
Your pain has no cure!
I have done these things to you
because of your enormous guilt
and your innumerable sins.
16 Nevertheless, all who devoured you will be devoured,(q)
and all your adversaries—all of them—
will go off into exile.
Those who plunder you will be plundered,
and all who raid you will be raided.
17 But I will bring you health(r)
and will heal you of your wounds—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
for they call you Outcast,
Zion whom no one cares about.

Restoration of the Land

18 This is what the Lord says:

I will certainly restore the fortunes[b] of Jacob's tents(s)
and show compassion on his dwellings.
Every city will be rebuilt on its mound;
every citadel will stand on its proper site.
19 Thanksgiving will come out of them,
a sound of celebration.
I will multiply them, and they will not decrease;(t)
I will honor them, and they will not be insignificant.
20 His children will be as in past days;
his congregation will be established in My presence.
I will punish all his oppressors.(u)
21 Jacob's leader will be one of them;
his ruler will issue from him.
I will invite him to Me, and he will approach Me,(v)
for who would otherwise risk his life to approach Me?
This is the Lord 's declaration.
22 You will be My people,
and I will be your God.(w)

The Wrath of God

23 Look, a storm from the Lord !(x)
Wrath has gone out,
a churning storm.
It will whirl about the heads of the wicked.
24 The Lord 's burning anger will not turn back
until He has completely fulfilled the purposes of His heart.
In time to come you will understand it.(y)

God's Relationship with His People

1 "At that time"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"I will be the God of all the families of Israel,(a) and they will be My people."

2 This is what the Lord says:

They found favor in the wilderness(b)
the people who survived the sword.
When Israel went to find rest,
3 the Lord appeared to him[a] from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.(c)
4 Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt,
Virgin Israel.
You will take up your tambourines again(d)
and go out in joyful dancing.
5 You will plant vineyards again
on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters will plant and will enjoy the fruit.(e)
6 For there will be a day when watchmen will call out
in the hill country of Ephraim,
"Get up, let's go up to Zion,(f)
to Yahweh our God!"

God's People Brought Home

7 For this is what the Lord says:

Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the chief of the nations!
Proclaim, praise, and say,
" Lord , save Your people,(g)
the remnant of Israel!"
8 Watch! I am going to bring them from the northern land.
I will gather them from remote regions of the earth(h)
the blind and the lame will be with them,
along with those who are pregnant and those about to give birth.
They will return here as a great assembly!(i)
9 They will come weeping,
but I will bring them back with consolation.[b](j)
I will lead them to wadis filled with water
by a smooth way where they will not stumble,(k)
for I am Israel's Father,
and Ephraim is My firstborn.
10 Nations, hear the word of the Lord ,
and tell it among the far off coastlands!(l)
Say: The One who scattered Israel will gather him.
He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock,
11 for the Lord has ransomed Jacob
and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he.(m)
12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will be radiant with joy(n)
because of(o) the Lord 's goodness,
because of the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil,(p)
and because of the young of the flocks and herds.
Their life will be like an irrigated garden,
and they will no longer grow weak from hunger.
13 Then the young woman will rejoice with dancing,
while young and old men rejoice together.
I will turn their mourning into joy,(q)
give them consolation,
and bring happiness out of grief.
14 I will refresh the priests with an abundance,[c](r)
and My people will be satisfied with My goodness.
This is the Lord 's declaration.

Lament Turned to Joy

15 This is what the Lord says:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
a lament with bitter weeping—
Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted for her children
because they are no more.(s)

16 This is what the Lord says:

Keep your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for the reward for your work will come—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
and your children will return from the enemy's land.
17 There is hope for your future(t)
this is the Lord 's declaration—
and your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have heard Ephraim moaning,
"You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined
like an untrained calf.
Restore me, and I will return,
for you, Lord , are my God.(u)
19 After I returned, I repented;
After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief.(v)
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth."
20 Isn't Ephraim a precious son to Me,
a delightful child?
Whenever I speak against him,
I certainly still think about him.
Therefore, My inner being yearns for him;
I will truly have compassion on him.
This is the Lord 's declaration.

Repentance and Restoration

21 Set up road markers(w) for yourself;
establish signposts!
Keep the highway in mind,
the way you have traveled.
Return, Virgin Israel!
Return to these cities of yours.
22 How long will you turn here and there,
faithless daughter?(x)
For the Lord creates something new in the land[d]
a female[e] will shelter[f] a man.

23 This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "When I restore their fortunes,[g] they will once again speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities, ‘May the Lord bless you, righteous settlement,(y) holy mountain.'(z) 24 Judah and all its cities will live in it together—also farmers and those who move[h] with the flocks— 25 for I satisfy the thirsty person and feed all those who are weak."

26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been most pleasant to me.

27 "The days are coming"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"when I will sow the house of Israel(aa) and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and to tear them down, to demolish and to destroy, and to cause disaster, so will I be attentive to build and to plant them,"(ab) says the Lord . 29 "In those days, it will never again be said:

The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children's teeth are set on edge.(ac)

30 Rather, each will die for his own wrongdoing.(ad) Anyone who eats sour grapes—his own teeth will be set on edge.

The New Covenant

31 "Look, the days are coming"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"when I will make a new covenant(ae) with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke even though I had married them"(af)—the Lord 's declaration. 33 "Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days"—the Lord 's declaration. "I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. 34 No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord ,'(ag) for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them"—this is the Lord 's declaration. "For I will forgive their wrongdoing(ah) and never again remember their sin."(ai)

35 This is what the Lord says:

The One who gives the sun for light by day,
the fixed order of moon and stars for light by night,
who stirs up the sea and makes its waves roar(aj)
Yahweh of Hosts is His name:
36 If this fixed order departs from My presence—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
then also Israel's descendants will cease
to be a nation before Me forever.(ak)

37 This is what the Lord says:

If the heavens above can be measured
and the foundations of the earth below explored,
I will reject all of Israel's descendants
because of all they have done—
this is the Lord 's declaration.

38 "Look, the days are coming"—the Lord 's declaration—"when the city[i] from the Tower of Hananel(al) to the Corner Gate(am) will be rebuilt for the Lord . 39 A measuring line will once again stretch out straight to the hill of Gareb(an) and then turn toward Goah. 40 The whole valley—the corpses, the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley(ao) to the corner of the Horse Gate(ap) to the east—will be holy to the Lord . It will never be uprooted or demolished again."

Jeremiah's Land Purchase

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah(a) king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.(b) 2 At that time, the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the guard's courtyard(c) in the palace of the king of Judah. 3 Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: "Why are you prophesying, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am about to hand this city over to Babylon's king, and he will capture it. 4 Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the Chaldeans; indeed, he will certainly be handed over to Babylon's king. They will speak face to face[a] and meet eye to eye.(d) 5 He will take Zedekiah to Babylon where he will stay until I attend to him'—this is the Lord 's declaration. ‘You will fight the Chaldeans, but you will not succeed'?"(e)

6 Jeremiah replied, "The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Watch! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy my field in Anathoth(f) for yourself, for you own the right of redemption(g) to buy it.'

8 "Then my cousin Hanamel came to the guard's courtyard as the Lord had said and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.' Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord . 9 So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out to him the money(h)—17 shekels[b] of silver. 10 I recorded it on a scroll,(i) sealed it, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver in the scales. 11 I took the purchase agreement—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions and the open copy— 12 and gave the purchase agreement to Baruch(j) son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah. I did this in the sight of my cousin[c] Hanamel, the witnesses who were signing the purchase agreement, and all the Judeans sitting in the guard's courtyard.

13 "I instructed Baruch in their sight, 14 ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Take these scrolls—this purchase agreement with the sealed copy and this open copy—and put them in an earthen storage jar so they will last a long time. 15 For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.'(k)

16 "After I had given the purchase agreement to Baruch, son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord : 17 Oh, Lord God ! You Yourself made the heavens and earth(l) by Your great power(m) and with Your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You! 18 You show faithful love to thousands but lay the fathers' sins on their sons' laps after them,(n) great and mighty God(o) whose name is Yahweh of Hosts, 19 the One great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are on all the ways of the sons of men in order to give to each person according to his ways and the result of his deeds.(p) 20 You performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt(q) and do so to this very day both in Israel and among mankind. You made a name(r) for Yourself, as is the case today. 21 You brought Your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror.(s) 22 You gave them this land You swore to give to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.(t) 23 They entered and possessed it, but they did not obey Your voice or live according to Your instructions.(u) They failed to perform all You commanded them to do,(v) and so You have brought all this disaster on them. 24 Look! Siege ramps(w) have come against the city to capture it, and the city, as a result of the sword, famine, and plague, has been handed over to the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What You have spoken has happened. Look, You can see it! 25 Yet You, Lord God , have said to me: Buy the field with silver and call in witnesses—even though the city has been handed over to the Chaldeans!"

26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 "Look, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh.(x) Is anything too difficult for Me? 28 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the Chaldeans,(y) to Babylon's king Nebuchadnezzar, and he will capture it. 29 The Chaldeans who are going to fight against this city will come, set this city on fire, and burn it along with the houses where incense has been burned to Baal on their rooftops and where drink offerings have been poured out to other gods to provoke Me to anger.(z) 30 From their youth, the Israelites and Judeans have done nothing but what is evil in My sight! They have done nothing but provoke Me to anger by the work of their hands"(aa)—this is the Lord 's declaration— 31 "for this city has caused My wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. I will therefore remove it from My presence,(ab) 32 because of all the evil the Israelites and Judeans have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings,(ac) their officials, their priests, and their prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Though I taught them time and time again,[d](ad) they do not listen and receive discipline. 34 They have placed their detestable things(ae) in the house that is called by My name and have defiled it. 35 They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech(af)—something I had not commanded them. I had never entertained the thought[e] that they do this detestable act causing Judah to sin!

36 "Now therefore, this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says to this city about which you said, ‘It has been handed over to Babylon's king through sword, famine, and plague': 37 I am about to gather them from all the lands where I have banished them in My anger, rage and great wrath, and I will return them to this place and make them live in safety.(ag) 38 They will be My people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart(ah) and one way so that for their good and for the good of their descendants after them, they will fear Me always.

40 "I will make an everlasting covenant with them:(ai) I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put fear of Me in their hearts so they will never again turn away from Me. 41 I will take delight in them to do what is good for them, and with all My heart and mind I will faithfully plant them in this land.(aj)

42 "For this is what the Lord says: Just as I have brought all this great disaster on these people,(ak) so am I about to bring on them all the good I am promising them. 43 Fields will be bought in this land about which you are saying,(al) ‘It's a desolation(am) without man or beast; it has been handed over to the Chaldeans!' 44 Fields will be purchased with silver, the transaction written on a scroll and sealed,(an) and witnesses will be called on in the land of Benjamin,(ao) in the areas surrounding Jerusalem, and in Judah's cities—the cities of the hill country, the cities of the Judean foothills, and the cities of the Negev—because I will restore their fortunes."[f]

This is the Lord 's declaration.

Israel's Restoration

1 While he was still confined in the guard's courtyard,(a) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time: 2 "The Lord who made the earth,[a] the Lord who forms it to establish it, Yahweh is His name,(b) says this: 3 Call to Me and I will answer you(c) and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.(d) 4 For this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says concerning the houses of this city and the palaces of Judah's kings, the ones torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword:(e) 5 The people coming to fight the Chaldeans will fill the houses with the corpses of their own men that I strike down in My wrath and rage. I have hidden My face(f) from this city because of all their evil. 6 Yet I will certainly bring health(g) and healing to it and will indeed heal them. I will let them experience the abundance[b] of peace and truth.(h) 7 I will restore the fortunes[c] of Judah and of Israel and will rebuild them as in former times.(i) 8 I will purify them from all the wrongs they have committed against Me,(j) and I will forgive all the wrongs they have committed against Me, rebelling against Me. 9 This city will bear on My behalf a name of joy, praise, and glory(k) before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the good I will do for them. They will tremble with awe because of all the good and all the peace(l) I will bring about for them.

10 "This is what the Lord says: In this place, which you say is a ruin,(m) without man or beast—that is, in Judah's cities and Jerusalem's streets that are a desolation without man, without inhabitant, and without beast—there will be heard again 11 a sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the bride,(n) and the voice of those saying,

Praise the Lord of Hosts,
for the Lord is good;
His faithful love endures forever

as they bring thank offerings to the temple of the Lord . For I will restore the fortunes[d] of the land as in former times, says the Lord .

12 "This is what the Lord of Hosts says: In this desolate place—without man or beast—and in all its cities there will once more be a grazing land where shepherds may rest flocks.(o) 13 The flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who counts them(p) in the cities of the hill country,(q) the cities of the Judean foothills, the cities of the Negev, the land of Benjamin—the cities surrounding Jerusalem and Judah's cities, says the Lord .

God's Covenant with David

14 "Look, the days are coming"—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
"when I will fulfill the good promises
that I have spoken
concerning the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.(r)
15 In those days and at that time
I will cause a Righteous Branch(s)
to sprout up for David,
and He will administer justice
and righteousness in the land.
16 In those days Judah will be saved,
and Jerusalem will dwell securely,(t)
and this is what she will be named:
Yahweh Our Righteousness.

17 "For this is what the Lord says: David will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel.(u) 18 The Levitical priests will never fail to have a man always before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices."(v)

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 "This is what the Lord says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night so that day and night cease to come at their regular time,(w) 21 then also My covenant with My servant David(x) may be broken so that he will not have a son reigning on his throne, and the Levitical priests will not be My ministers.(y) 22 The hosts of heaven cannot be counted; the sand of the sea cannot be measured.(z) So, too, I will make the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister to Me innumerable."

23 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 24 "Have you not noticed what these people have said? They say, ‘The Lord has rejected the two families He had chosen.'(aa) My people are treated with contempt and no longer regarded as a nation among them. 25 This is what the Lord says: If I do not keep My covenant with the day and with the night and fail to establish the fixed order of heaven and earth,(ab) 26 then I might also reject the seed of Jacob and of My servant David—not taking from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore their fortunes[e] and have compassion on them."(ac)

Jeremiah's Word to King Zedekiah

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,(a) all his army, all the earthly kingdoms under his control,(b) and all other nations were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding cities: 2 "This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: Go, speak to Zedekiah, king of Judah, and tell him: This is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon,(c) and he will burn it down. 3 As for you, you will not escape from his hand but are certain to be captured and handed over to him. You will meet the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak face to face;[a](d) you will go to Babylon.

4 "Yet hear the Lord 's word, Zedekiah, king of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword; 5 you will die peacefully. There will be a burning ceremony for you just like the burning ceremonies for your fathers, the former kings who preceded you.(e) ‘Our king is dead!'[b] will be the lament for you, for I have spoken this word." This is the Lord 's declaration.

6 So Jeremiah the prophet related all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem 7 while the king of Babylon's army was attacking Jerusalem and all of Judah's remaining cities—against Lachish and Azekah,(f) for they were the only ones left of Judah's fortified cities.

The People and Their Slaves

8 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom(g) to them, 9 so each man would free his male and female Hebrew slaves and no one would enslave his Judean brother.(h) 10 All the officials and people who entered into covenant to free their male and female slaves—in order not to enslave them any longer—obeyed and freed them. 11 Afterward, however, they changed their minds and took back their male and female slaves they had freed and forced them to become slaves again.

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord : 13 "This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant(i) with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, saying: 14 At the end of seven years, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who sold himself[c] to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must send him out free from you.(j) But your ancestors did not obey Me or pay any attention. 15 Today you repented and did what pleased Me, each of you proclaiming freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before Me(k) at the temple called by My name.(l) 16 But you have changed your minds(m) and profaned My name.(n) Each has taken back his male and female slaves who had been freed to go wherever they wanted, and you have again subjugated them to be your slaves.

17 "Therefore, this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed Me by proclaiming freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. I hereby proclaim freedom for you"(o)—this is the Lord 's declaration—"to the sword, to plague, and to famine! I will make you a horror to all the earth's kingdoms. 18 As for those who disobeyed My covenant,(p) not keeping the terms of the covenant they made before Me, I will treat them like the calf they cut in two in order to pass between its pieces.(q) 19 The officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf 20 will be handed over to their enemies, to those who want to take their life. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land.(r) 21 I will hand Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials over to their enemies, to those who want to take their lives, to the king of Babylon's army that is withdrawing. 22 I am about to give the command"—this is the Lord 's declaration—"and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, capture it, and burn it down.(s) I will make Judah's cities a desolation,(t) without inhabitant."

The Rechabites' Example

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim(a) son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 "Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them,(b) and bring them to one of the chambers(c) of the temple of the Lord to offer them a drink of wine."

3 So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the entire house of the Rechabites— 4 and I brought them into the temple of the Lord to a chamber occupied by the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God,(d) who had a chamber near the officials' chamber, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. 5 I set jars filled with wine and some cups before the sons of the house of the Rechabites and said to them, "Drink wine!"

6 But they replied, "We do not drink wine, for Jonadab,(e) son of our ancestor Rechab, commanded: ‘You and your sons must never drink wine. 7 You must not build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Rather, you must live in tents your whole life, so you may live a long time on the soil where you stay as a temporary resident.'(f) 8 We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab, son of our ancestor Rechab, in all he commanded us. So we haven't drunk wine our whole life—we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters. 9 We also have not built houses to live in and do not have vineyard, field, or seed. 10 But we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done as our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. 11 However, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched into the land,(g) we said: Come, let's go into Jerusalem to get away from the Chaldean and Aramean armies. So we have been living in Jerusalem."

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 "This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Go, say to the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem: Will you not accept discipline(h) by listening to My words?"—this is the Lord 's declaration. 14 "The words of Jonadab, son of Rechab, have been carried out. He commanded his sons not to drink wine, and they have not drunk to this very day because they have obeyed their ancestor's command. But I have spoken to you time and time again,[a](i) and you have not obeyed Me! 15 Time and time again[b] I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: Turn, each one from his evil way of life,(j) and correct your actions. Stop following other gods to serve them.(k) Live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors. But you would not pay attention or obey Me.(l) 16 Yes, the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab carried out their ancestor's command he gave them, but these people have not obeyed Me. 17 Therefore, this is what the Lord , the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I will certainly bring to Judah and to all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them because I have spoken to them, but they have not obeyed, and I have called to them, but they would not answer."

18 Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites: "This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of your ancestor Jonadab and have kept all his commands and have done all that he commanded you, 19 this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to always stand before Me.'"(m)

Jeremiah Dictates a Scroll

1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah,(a) king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord : 2 "Take a scroll,(b) and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah, and all the nations from the time I first spoke to you during Josiah's reign until today. 3 Perhaps when the house of Judah hears about all the disaster I am planning to bring on them, each one of them will turn from his evil way. Then I will forgive their wrongdoing(c) and their sin."

4 So Jeremiah summoned Baruch(d) son of Neriah. At Jeremiah's dictation,[a] Baruch wrote on a scroll all the words the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah. 5 Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, "I am restricted;(e) I cannot enter the temple of the Lord , 6 so you must go and read from the scroll—which you wrote at my dictation[b]—the words of the Lord in the hearing of the people at the temple of the Lord on a day of fasting. You must also read them in the hearing of all the Judeans who are coming from their cities. 7 Perhaps their petition will come before the Lord ,(f) and each one will turn from his evil way, for the anger and fury that the Lord has pronounced against this people are great." 8 So Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet had commanded him. At the Lord 's temple he read the Lord 's words from the scroll.

Baruch Reads the Scroll

9 In the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month,(g) all the people of Jerusalem and all those coming in from Judah's cities into Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord .(h) 10 Then at the Lord 's temple, in the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe,(i) in the upper courtyard at the opening of the New Gate(j) of the Lord 's temple, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read Jeremiah's words from the scroll.

11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the scribe's chamber in the king's palace. All the officials were sitting there—Elishama the scribe, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor,(k) Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13 Micaiah reported to them all the words he had heard when Baruch read from the scroll in the hearing of the people. 14 Then all the officials sent word to Baruch through Jehudi son of Nethaniah, son of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, saying, "Bring the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come." So Baruch son of Neriah took the scroll and went to them. 15 They said to him, "Sit down and read it in our hearing." So Baruch read it in their hearing.

16 When they had heard all the words, they turned to each other in fear and said to Baruch, "We must surely tell the king all these things." 17 Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us—how did you write all these words? At his dictation?"[c]

18 Baruch said to them, "At his dictation.[d] He recited all these words to me while I was writing on the scroll in ink."

Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll

19 The officials said to Baruch, "You and Jeremiah must hide yourselves and tell no one where you are." 20 Then they came to the king at the courtyard, having deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and reported everything in the hearing of the king. 21 The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the scribe. Jehudi then read it in the hearing of the king and all the officials who were standing by the king. 22 Since it was the ninth month, the king was sitting in his winter quarters(l) with a fire burning in front of him. 23 As soon as Jehudi would read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut the scroll[e] with a scribe's knife and throw the columns into the blazing fire until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire in the brazier. 24 As they heard all these words, the king and all of his servants did not become terrified(m) or tear their garments. 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 Then the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord had hidden them.

Jeremiah Dictates Another Scroll

27 After the king had burned the scroll with the words Baruch had written at Jeremiah's dictation,[f] the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28 "Take another scroll, and once again write on it the very words that were on the original scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah burned. 29 You are to proclaim concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: This is what the Lord says: You have burned the scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it:(n) The king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land and cause it to be without man or beast?' 30 Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on David's throne, and his corpse will be thrown out to be exposed to the heat of day and the frost of night.(o) 31 I will punish him, his descendants, and his officers for their wrongdoing. I will bring on them, on the residents of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the disaster, which I warned them about but they did not listen."

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at Jeremiah's dictation[g] all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim,(p) Judah's king, had burned in the fire. And many other words like them were added.

Colossians 4

Resource Toolbox

Chapter 4

1 Masters,(a) supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

Speaking to God and Others

2 Devote yourselves(b) to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door(c) to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah,(d) for which I am in prison,(e) 4 so that I may reveal it as I am required to speak. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.(f) 6 Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt,(g) so that you may know how you should answer each person.(h)

Christian Greetings

7 Tychicus,(i) our dearly loved brother, faithful(j) servant, and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are[a] and so that he may encourage(k) your hearts.(l) 9 He is with Onesimus,(m) a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as does Mark,(n) Barnabas's(o) cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcision are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,(p) who is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always contending(q) for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured[b] in everything God wills.(r) 13 For I testify about him that he works hard[c](s) for you, for those in Laodicea,(t) and for those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas(u) greet you. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.(v) 16 When this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And tell Archippus,(w) "Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it."(x)

18 This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. Remember my imprisonment.(y) Grace be with you.[d](z)

 
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