Jeremiah 7:1-15

Contemporary English Version

Jeremiah Speaks in the Temple

(Jeremiah 26.1-6)

7 ^1-3 The Lord told me to stand by the gate of the temple^[a] and tell the people who were going in that the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, had said:

Pay attention, people of Judah! Change your ways and start living right, then I will let you keep on living in your own country.^{[b] 4} Don't fool yourselves! My temple is here in Jerusalem, but that doesn't mean I will protect you. ⁵ I will keep you safe only if you change your ways and are fair and honest with each other. ⁶ Stop taking advantage of foreigners, orphans, and widows. Don't kill innocent people. And stop worshiping other gods. ⁷ Then I will let you enjoy a long life in this land I gave your ancestors.

⁸ But just look at what is happening! You put your trust in worthless lies. ⁹ You steal and murder; you lie in court and are unfaithful in marriage. You worship idols and offer incense to Baal, when these gods have never done anything for you. ¹⁰ And then you come into my temple and worship me! Do you think I will protect you so that you can go on sinning? ^11 (A) You are thieves, and you have made my temple your hideout. But I've seen everything you have done.

^12 (B) Go to Shiloh, where my sacred tent once stood. Take a look at what I did there. My people Israel sinned, and so I destroyed Shiloh!

¹³ While you have been sinning, I have been trying to talk to you, but you refuse to listen. ¹⁴ Don't think this temple will protect you. Long ago I told your ancestors to build it and worship me here, but now I have decided to tear it down, just as I destroyed Shiloh. ¹⁵ And as for you, people of Judah, I'm going to send you away from my land, just as I sent away the people of Ephraim and the other northern tribes.