Jeremiah 17:19-18:23

New American Standard Bible

The Sabbath Must Be Kept

¹⁹ This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the ^[a]public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem; ²⁰ and say to them, ‘^(A)Listen to the word of the Lord, you ^(B)kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates. ²¹ This is what the Lord says: “^(C)Take care for yourselves, and ^(D)do not carry any ^[b]load on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. ²² You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day ^(E)nor do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I ^(F)commanded your ^[c]forefathers. ²³ Yet they ^(G)did not listen or incline their ears, but ^(H)stiffened their necks so as not to listen or accept discipline.

²⁴ “But it will come about, if you ^(I)give your attention to Me,” declares the Lord, “to ^(J)bring no load in through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, ^(K)but to keep the Sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, ^25 (L)then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and officials ^(M)sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this ^(N)city will be inhabited forever. ²⁶ They will come in from the ^(O)cities of Judah and from the areas surrounding Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the ^(P)lowland, from the hill country, and from the ^(Q)Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the Lord. ²⁷ But ^(R)if you do not listen to Me, to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then ^(S)I will set fire to its gates, and it will ^(T)devour the palaces of Jerusalem and ^(U)not go out.”’”

The Potter and the Clay

18 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, ² “Arise and ^(V)go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. ⁴ But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.

⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁶ “Am I not able, house of Israel, to deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the ^(W)clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel. ⁷ At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to ^(X)uproot it, to tear it down, or to destroy it; ^8 (Y)if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will ^(Z)relent of the disaster that I planned to bring on it. ⁹ Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to ^(AA)build up or to plant it; ¹⁰ if it does ^(AB)evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will ^(AC)relent of the good with which I said ^[d]that I would bless it. ¹¹ So now, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am ^(AD)forming a disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Now ^(AE)turn back, each of you from his evil way, and ^[e]correct your ways and your deeds!”’ ¹² But ^(AF)they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will ^[f]persist in the ^(AG)stubbornness of his evil heart.’

¹⁸ Then they said, “Come and let’s ^(AV)devise plans against Jeremiah. Certainly the ^(AW)Law is not going to be lost by the priest, nor ^(AX)advice by the wise, nor the divine ^(AY)word by the prophet! Come, and let’s ^(AZ)strike at him with our tongue, and let’s ^(BA)pay no attention to any of his words.”