Prophecy of the Captivity

25 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the (A)fourth year of (B)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the (C)first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), the word which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the (D)people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, “From the (E)thirteenth year of (F)Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, [a]these (G)twenty-three years the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you (H)again and again, but you have not listened. And the Lord has sent to you all His (I)servants the prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear, saying, ‘(J)Turn now, everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and live on the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers (K)forever and ever; and (L)do not follow other gods to [b]serve them and to [c]worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, then I will do you no harm.’ Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares the Lord, “in order to (M)provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.

“Therefore this is what the Lord of armies says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, behold, I will (N)send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (O)My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations; and I will [d]completely destroy them and (P)make them an object of horror and [e]hissing, and an everlasting place of ruins. 10 Moreover, I will (Q)eliminate from them the voice of jubilation and the voice of joy, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the (R)sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 (S)This entire land will be a place of ruins and an object of horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for (T)seventy years.

Babylon Will Be Judged

12 ‘Then it will be (U)when seventy years are completed I will (V)punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the Lord, ‘for their wrongdoing, and the land of the Chaldeans; and (W)I will make it an everlasting desolation. 13 I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in (X)this book which Jeremiah has prophesied against (Y)all the nations. 14 ([f]For (Z)many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them; and I will (AA)repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.)’”

15 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to me: “Take this (AB)cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and give it to all the nations to whom I send you, to drink from it. 16 Then they will (AC)drink and loudly vomit and act insanely because of the sword that I am going to send among them.”

17 So I took the cup from the Lords hand and (AD)gave it to all the nations to whom the Lord sent me, to drink from it: 18 To (AE)Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings and its officials, to make them places of ruins, objects of horror, [g]hissing, and a curse, as it is this day; 19 To (AF)Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, and all his people; 20 and to all the (AG)foreign [h]people, all the kings of the (AH)land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the (AI)Philistines (that is, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of (AJ)Ashdod); 21 To (AK)Edom, (AL)Moab, and the sons of (AM)Ammon; 22 and to all the kings of (AN)Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of (AO)the coastlands which are beyond the sea; 23 and to (AP)Dedan, Tema, (AQ)Buz, and all who (AR)trim the corners of their hair; 24 and to all the kings of (AS)Arabia and all the kings of the (AT)foreign [i]people who live in the desert; 25 and to all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of (AU)Elam, and all the kings of (AV)Media; 26 and to all the kings of the north, near and far, one with another; and (AW)all the kingdoms of the earth which are on the face of the ground; and the king of [j](AX)Sheshach shall drink it after them.

27 “And you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “(AY)Drink, be drunk, vomit, fall down, and do not get up, because of the (AZ)sword which I am sending among you.”’ 28 And if they (BA)refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “(BB)You shall certainly drink! 29 For behold, I am (BC)beginning to inflict disaster on this city which is (BD)called by My name, so should you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment, for (BE)I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,” declares the Lord of armies.’

30 “Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them,

‘The (BF)Lord will (BG)roar from on high
And raise His voice from His holy dwelling;
He will roar forcefully against His [k]fold.
He will shout like those who tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 A clamor has come to the end of the earth,
Because the Lord has (BH)a controversy with the nations.
He is entering into (BI)judgment with [l]humanity;
As for the wicked, He has turned them over to the sword,’ declares the Lord.”

32 This is what the Lord of armies says:
“Behold, evil is going out
From (BJ)nation to nation,
And a great (BK)storm is being stirred up
From the remotest parts of the earth.

33 “Those (BL)put to death by the Lord on that day will be from one end of the earth to the [m]other. They will (BM)not be mourned, gathered, or buried; they will be like (BN)dung on the face of the ground.

34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry out;
(BO)Wallow in the dust, you masters of the flock;
For the days of your (BP)slaughter and your dispersions [n]have come,
And you will fall like a precious vessel.
35 [o]There will be (BQ)no sanctuary for the shepherds,
Nor escape for the masters of the flock.
36 Hear the sound of the cry of the shepherds,
And the wailing of the masters of the flock!
For the Lord is destroying their pasture,
37 And the peaceful (BR)grazing places are devastated
Because of the (BS)fierce anger of the Lord.
38 He has left His hiding place (BT)like the lion;
For their land has become a horror
Because of the fierceness of the [p]oppressing sword
And because of His fierce anger.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 25:3 Lit this
  2. Jeremiah 25:6 Or worship
  3. Jeremiah 25:6 Or bow down to
  4. Jeremiah 25:9 Or put them under the ban
  5. Jeremiah 25:9 Or whistling
  6. Jeremiah 25:14 Or For they have served many nations and great kings
  7. Jeremiah 25:18 Or whistling
  8. Jeremiah 25:20 Or mercenaries
  9. Jeremiah 25:24 Or mercenaries
  10. Jeremiah 25:26 Cryptic name for Babylon
  11. Jeremiah 25:30 Or pasture; i.e., a ref to His people
  12. Jeremiah 25:31 Lit all flesh
  13. Jeremiah 25:33 Lit other end of the earth
  14. Jeremiah 25:34 Lit are full
  15. Jeremiah 25:35 Lit Sanctuary will perish from
  16. Jeremiah 25:38 Or oppressor

Seventy Years of Desolation

25 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, (A)in the fourth year of (B)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: (C)“From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the Lord has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, (D)but you have not listened. And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets, (E)rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. They said, (F)‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’ Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the Lord, “that you might (G)provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take (H)all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, (I)My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and (J)make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10 Moreover I will [a]take from them the (K)voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, (L)the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy (M)years.

12 ‘Then it will come to pass, (N)when [b]seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says the Lord; (O)‘and I will make it a perpetual desolation. 13 So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. 14 (P)(For many nations (Q)and great kings shall (R)be served by them also; (S)and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the works of their own hands.)’ ”

Judgment on the Nations

15 For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: “Take this (T)wine cup of [c]fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. 16 And (U)they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.”

17 Then I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations drink, to whom the Lord had sent me: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and its princes, to make them (V)a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and (W)a curse, as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people; 20 all the mixed multitude, all the kings of (X)the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the (Y)Philistines (namely, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and (Z)the remnant of Ashdod); 21 (AA)Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22 all the kings of (AB)Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastlands which are across the (AC)sea; 23 (AD)Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who are in the farthest corners; 24 all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the (AE)mixed multitude who dwell in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of (AF)Elam, and all the kings of the (AG)Medes; 26 (AH)all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. Also the king of [d]Sheshach shall drink after them.

27 “Therefore you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (AI)“Drink, (AJ)be drunk, and vomit! Fall and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.” ’ 28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “You shall certainly drink! 29 For behold, (AK)I begin to bring calamity on the city (AL)which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for (AM)I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.’

30 “Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:

‘The Lord will (AN)roar from on high,
And utter His voice from (AO)His holy habitation;
He will roar mightily against (AP)His fold.
He will give (AQ)a shout, as those who tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth—
For the Lord has (AR)a controversy with the nations;
(AS)He will plead His case with all flesh.
He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.”

32 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Behold, disaster shall go forth
From nation to nation,
And (AT)a great whirlwind shall be raised up
From the farthest parts of the earth.

33 (AU)And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be (AV)lamented, (AW)or gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground.

34 “Wail,(AX) shepherds, and cry!
Roll about in the ashes,
You leaders of the flock!
For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions are fulfilled;
You shall fall like a precious vessel.
35 And the shepherds will have no [e]way to flee,
Nor the leaders of the flock to escape.
36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds,
And a wailing of the leaders to the flock will be heard.
For the Lord has plundered their pasture,
37 And the peaceful dwellings are cut down
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 He has left His lair like the lion;
For their land is desolate
Because of the fierceness of the Oppressor,
And because of His fierce anger.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 25:10 Lit. cause to perish from them
  2. Jeremiah 25:12 Beginning circa 605 b.c. (2 Kin. 24:1) and ending circa 536 b.c. (Ezra 1:1)
  3. Jeremiah 25:15 wrath
  4. Jeremiah 25:26 A code word for Babylon, Jer. 51:41
  5. Jeremiah 25:35 Or refuge

The Rechabites’ Obedience

35 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of (A)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Go to the house of the (B)Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the (C)chambers, and give them wine to drink.” So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons, and all the household of the Rechabites, and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the (D)man of God, which was next to the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, (E)the doorkeeper. Then I set before the [a]men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “(F)Drink wine!” But they said, “We will not drink wine, for (G)Jonadab the son of (H)Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall (I)not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed nor plant a vineyard, nor [b]own one; but you shall live in (J)tents all your days, so that you may live (K)many days [c]in the land where you (L)live as strangers.’ And we have (M)obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, nor to build ourselves houses to live in; and we (N)do not have a vineyard, a field, or seed. 10 But we have (O)lived only in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that our father (P)Jonadab commanded us. 11 However, when (Q)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let’s (R)go to Jerusalem away from the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Arameans.’ So we have lived in Jerusalem.”

Judah Rebuked

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 13 “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “(S)Will you not accept instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord. 14 “The (T)words of Jonadab the son of Rechab have been followed, which he commanded his sons: not to drink wine. And they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you (U)again and again, yet you have (V)not listened to Me. 15 Also I have sent to you all My (W)servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘(X)Turn now every person from his evil way and amend your deeds, and (Y)do not follow other gods to worship them. Then you will (Z)live in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not (AA)inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16 Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have (AB)followed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17 Therefore this is what the Lord says, the God of armies, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, (AC)I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I (AD)spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

18 Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have (AE)obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands, and done according to all that he commanded you, 19 therefore this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Jonadab the son of Rechab (AF)will not lack a man to (AG)stand before Me [d]always.”’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 35:5 Lit sons
  2. Jeremiah 35:7 Lit shall it be to you
  3. Jeremiah 35:7 Lit on the face of the
  4. Jeremiah 35:19 Lit all the days

The Obedient Rechabites

35 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Go to the house of the (A)Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of (B)the chambers, and give them wine to drink.”

Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, his brothers and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, (C)the keeper of the [a]door. Then I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine.”

But they said, “We will drink no wine, for (D)Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink (E)no wine, you nor your sons, forever. You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, (F)that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.’ Thus we have (G)obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed. 10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, ‘Come, let us (H)go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and for fear of the army of the Syrians.’ So we dwell at Jerusalem.”

12 Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying, 13 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not (I)receive instruction to [b]obey My words?” says the Lord. 14 “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, and obey their father’s commandment. (J)But although I have spoken to you, (K)rising early and speaking, you did not [c]obey Me. 15 I have also sent to you all My (L)servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, (M)‘Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will (N)dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. 16 Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their (O)father, which he commanded them, but this people has not obeyed Me.” ’

17 “Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against them; (P)because I have spoken to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’ ”

18 And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to (Q)stand before Me forever.” ’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 35:4 Lit. threshold
  2. Jeremiah 35:13 listen to
  3. Jeremiah 35:14 listen to

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

36 In the (A)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Take a [a](B)scroll and write on it all the (C)words which I have spoken to you concerning (D)Israel, Judah, and all the (E)nations, from the (F)day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. (G)Perhaps the house of Judah will listen to all the disaster which I plan to carry out against them, so that every person will (H)turn from his evil way; then I will (I)forgive their wrongdoing and their sin.”

Then Jeremiah called (J)Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a [b](K)scroll [c]at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord which He had spoken to him. Jeremiah then commanded Baruch, saying, “I am [d](L)restricted; I cannot go into the house of the Lord. So you go and (M)read from the scroll, which you have (N)written [e]at my dictation, the words of the Lord [f]to the people at the Lords house on a day of (O)fasting. And you shall also read them [g]to all the people of Judah who come from their cities. (P)Perhaps their pleading will [h]come before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way; for (Q)great is the anger and the wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.” So Baruch the son of Neriah acted in accordance with all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, (R)reading from the book the words of the Lord in the Lords house.

Now in the (S)fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the (T)ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who (U)came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a (V)fast before the Lord. 10 Then Baruch read to all the people from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord in the (W)chamber of (X)Gemariah the son of Shaphan the (Y)scribe, in the upper courtyard, at the (Z)entry of the New Gate of the Lords house.

11 Now when (AA)Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the Lord from the book, 12 he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—(AB)Elishama the scribe, (AC)Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, (AD)Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13 And Micaiah (AE)declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book to the people. 14 Then all the officials sent (AF)Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, who was the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah (AG)took the scroll in his hand and came to them. 15 And they said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.” So Baruch (AH)read it to them. 16 When they had heard all the words, they turned in (AI)fear one to another. And they said to Baruch, “We will certainly (AJ)report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, (AK)how did you write all these words? Was it [i]at Jeremiah’s dictation?” 18 And Baruch said to them, “He (AL)dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.” 19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, (AM)hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.”

The Scroll Is Burned

20 So they came to the (AN)king in the courtyard, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of (AO)Elishama the scribe; and they reported all the words to the king. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi (AP)read it to the king as well as to all the officials who were standing beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in the (AQ)winter house in the (AR)ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. 23 And when Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and (AS)threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all of the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. 24 Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words did (AT)not tremble in fear, nor did they (AU)tear their garments. 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah (AV)urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to (AW)seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the (AX)Lord hid them.

The Scroll Is Replaced

27 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after the king had (AY)burned the scroll and the words which (AZ)Baruch had written [j]at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, 28 (BA)Take again another scroll and write on it all the previous words that were (BB)on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. 29 And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “You have (BC)burned this scroll, saying, ‘(BD)Why have you written on it [k]that the (BE)king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make mankind and animals disappear from it?’” 30 Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: “He shall have (BF)no one to sit on the throne of David, and his (BG)dead body shall be thrown out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will also (BH)punish him, his [l]descendants, and his servants for their wrongdoing, and I will (BI)bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah all the disaster that I have declared to them—but they did not listen.”’”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch the son of Neriah, and he (BJ)wrote on it at the [m]dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many [n]similar words were added to them.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 36:2 Lit scroll of a book
  2. Jeremiah 36:4 Lit scroll of a book
  3. Jeremiah 36:4 Lit from the mouth of
  4. Jeremiah 36:5 Lit restrained
  5. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit from my mouth
  6. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit in the ears of, and so throughout this ch
  7. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit in the ears of, and so throughout this ch
  8. Jeremiah 36:7 Lit fall
  9. Jeremiah 36:17 Lit from his mouth
  10. Jeremiah 36:27 Lit from his mouth
  11. Jeremiah 36:29 Lit saying
  12. Jeremiah 36:31 Lit seed
  13. Jeremiah 36:32 Lit from his mouth
  14. Jeremiah 36:32 Lit like those

The Scroll Read in the Temple

36 Now it came to pass in the (A)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Take a (B)scroll of a book and (C)write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against (D)all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of (E)Josiah even to this day. It (F)may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may (G)turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Then Jeremiah (H)called Baruch the son of Neriah; and (I)Baruch wrote on a scroll of a book, [a]at the instruction of Jeremiah, all the words of the Lord which He had spoken to him. And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am confined, I cannot go into the house of the Lord. You go, therefore, and read from the scroll which you have written [b]at my instruction, the words of the Lord, in the hearing of the people in the Lord’s house on (J)the day of fasting. And you shall also read them in the hearing of all Judah who come from their cities. It may be that they will present their supplication before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way. For great is the anger and the fury that the Lord has pronounced against this people.” And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house.

Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem. 10 Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court at the (K)entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house, in the [c]hearing of all the people.

The Scroll Read in the Palace

11 When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the book, 12 he then went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber; and there all the princes were sitting—(L)Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, (M)Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes. 13 Then Michaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read the book in the hearing of the people. 14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. 15 And they said to him, “Sit down now, and read it in our hearing.” So Baruch read it in their hearing.

16 Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, that they looked in fear from one to another, and said to Baruch, “We will surely tell the king of all these words.” 17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us now, how did you write all these words—[d]at his instruction?”

18 So Baruch answered them, “He proclaimed with his mouth all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink in the book.”

19 Then the princes said to Baruch, “Go and hide, you and Jeremiah; and let no one know where you are.”

The King Destroys Jeremiah’s Scroll

20 And they went to the king, into the court; but they stored the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the hearing of the king. 21 So the king sent Jehudi to bring the scroll, and he took it from Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king and in the hearing of all the princes who stood beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in (N)the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. 23 And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. 24 Yet they were (O)not afraid, nor did they (P)tear their garments, the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words. 25 Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel [e]the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.

Jeremiah Rewrites the Scroll

27 Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch had written [f]at the instruction of Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 28 “Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned. 29 And you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You have burned this scroll, saying, (Q)‘Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and cause man and beast to (R)cease from here?’ ” 30 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: (S)“He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be (T)cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will punish him, his [g]family, and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the doom that I have pronounced against them; but they did not heed.” ’ ”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it [h]at the instruction of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And besides, there were added to them many similar words.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 36:4 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth
  2. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit. from my mouth
  3. Jeremiah 36:10 Lit. ears
  4. Jeremiah 36:17 Lit. with his mouth
  5. Jeremiah 36:26 Or son of Hammelech
  6. Jeremiah 36:27 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth
  7. Jeremiah 36:31 Lit. seed
  8. Jeremiah 36:32 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth

Message to Baruch

45 This is the message which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to (A)Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had (B)written these words in a book [a]at Jeremiah’s dictation, in the (C)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says to you, Baruch: ‘You said, “Oh, woe to me! For the Lord has added grief to my pain; I am (D)weary with my groaning and have found no rest.”’ This is what you are to say to him: ‘This is what the Lord says: “Behold, (E)what I have built I am going to tear down, and what I have planted I am going to uproot, that is, all the people of the land.” But as for you, are you (F)seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to (G)bring disaster on all flesh,’ declares the Lord, ‘but I will (H)give your life to you as plunder in all the places where you may go.’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 45:1 Lit from the mouth of Jeremiah

Assurance to Baruch

45 The (A)word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to (B)Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book [a]at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the (C)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: ‘You said, “Woe is me now! For the Lord has added grief to my sorrow. I (D)fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” ’

“Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, (E)what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, (F)I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your (G)life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” ’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 45:1 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth

The Tongue Is a Fire

(A)Do not become teachers in large numbers, (B)my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a [a]stricter judgment. For we all (C)stumble in many ways. (D)If anyone does not stumble in [b]what he says, he is a (E)perfect man, able to [c](F)rein in the whole body as well. Now (G)if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it (H)boasts of great things.

(I)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And (J)the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among [d]our body’s parts as that which (K)defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our [e]life, and is set on fire by [f](L)hell. For every [g]species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human [h]race. But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of (M)deadly poison. With it we bless (N)our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, (O)who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening both [i]fresh and bitter water? 12 (P)Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce [j]fresh.

Wisdom from Above

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? (Q)Let him show by his (R)good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter (S)jealousy and [k]selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against (T)the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down (U)from above, but is (V)earthly, [l](W)natural, (X)demonic. 16 For where (Y)jealousy and [m]selfish ambition exist, [n]there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom (Z)from above is first (AA)pure, then (AB)peace-loving, (AC)gentle, [o]reasonable, (AD)full of mercy and good fruits, [p](AE)impartial, free of (AF)hypocrisy. 18 And the (AG)fruit of righteousness is sown in peace [q]by those who make peace.

Footnotes

  1. James 3:1 Or greater condemnation; i.e., for erroneous doctrine
  2. James 3:2 Lit word
  3. James 3:2 Or hold in check
  4. James 3:6 Lit our parts
  5. James 3:6 Or existence, origin
  6. James 3:6 Gr Gehenna
  7. James 3:7 Lit nature
  8. James 3:7 Lit nature
  9. James 3:11 Lit sweet
  10. James 3:12 Lit sweet
  11. James 3:14 Or strife
  12. James 3:15 Or unspiritual
  13. James 3:16 Or strife
  14. James 3:16 I.e., in that place
  15. James 3:17 Or willing to yield
  16. James 3:17 Or unwavering
  17. James 3:18 Or for

The Untamable Tongue

My brethren, (A)let not many of you become teachers, (B)knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For (C)we all stumble in many things. (D)If anyone does not stumble in word, (E)he is a [a]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. [b]Indeed, (F)we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so (G)the tongue is a little member and (H)boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And (I)the tongue is a fire, a world of [c]iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it (J)defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of [d]nature; and it is set on fire by [e]hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, (K)full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made (L)in the [f]similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a (M)fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? [g]Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

13 (N)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have (O)bitter envy and [h]self-seeking in your hearts, (P)do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 (Q)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For (R)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But (S)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, (T)without partiality (U)and without hypocrisy. 18 (V)Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Footnotes

  1. James 3:2 mature
  2. James 3:3 NU Now if
  3. James 3:6 unrighteousness
  4. James 3:6 existence
  5. James 3:6 Gr. Gehenna
  6. James 3:9 likeness
  7. James 3:12 NU Neither can a salty spring produce fresh water.
  8. James 3:14 selfish ambition

The Excellency of Brotherly Unity.

A Song of Ascents, of David.

133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For (A)brothers to live together in unity!
It is like the precious (B)oil on the head,
Running down upon the beard,
As on Aaron’s beard,
The oil which ran down upon the (C)edge of his robes.
It is like the (D)dew of (E)Hermon
Coming down upon the (F)mountains of Zion;
For the Lord (G)commanded the blessing there—(H)life forever.

Blessed Unity of the People of God

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For (A)brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of (B)Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For (C)there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.