43 When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their God—everything the Lord had sent him to tell them^(A)— ² Azariah son of Hoshaiah^(B) and Johanan^(C) son of Kareah and all the arrogant^(D) men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying!^(E) The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’^{(F) 3} But Baruch^(G) son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians,^[a] so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”^(H)

⁴ So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people^(I) disobeyed the Lord’s command^(J) to stay in the land of Judah.^{(K) 5} Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.^{(L) 6} They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women,^(M) the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch^(N) son of Neriah along with them. ⁷ So they entered Egypt^(O) in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.^(P)

⁸ In Tahpanhes^(Q) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ⁹ “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones^(R) with you and bury them in clay in the brick^(S) pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace^(T) in Tahpanhes. ¹⁰ Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant^(U) Nebuchadnezzar^(V) king of Babylon, and I will set his throne^(W) over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy^(X) above them. ¹¹ He will come and attack Egypt,^(Y) bringing death^(Z) to those destined^(AA) for death, captivity to those destined for captivity,^(AB) and the sword to those destined for the sword.^{(AC) 12} He will set fire^(AD) to the temples^(AE) of the gods^(AF) of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive.^(AG) As a shepherd picks^(AH) his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart. ¹³ There in the temple of the sun^[b](AI) in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars^(AJ) and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”

Disaster Because of Idolatry

44 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt^(AK)—in Migdol,^(AL) Tahpanhes^(AM) and Memphis^(AN)—and in Upper Egypt:^{(AO) 2} “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster^(AP) I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah.^(AQ) Today they lie deserted and in ruins^{(AR) 3} because of the evil^(AS) they have done. They aroused my anger^(AT) by burning incense^(AU) to and worshiping other gods^(AV) that neither they nor you nor your ancestors^(AW) ever knew. ⁴ Again and again^(AX) I sent my servants the prophets,^(AY) who said, ‘Do not do this detestable^(AZ) thing that I hate!’ ⁵ But they did not listen or pay attention;^(BA) they did not turn from their wickedness^(BB) or stop burning incense^(BC) to other gods.^{(BD) 6} Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out;^(BE) it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins^(BF) they are today.

⁷ “Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster^(BG) on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women,^(BH) the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?^{(BI) 8} Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made,^(BJ) burning incense^(BK) to other gods in Egypt,^(BL) where you have come to live?^(BM) You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse^[c] and an object of reproach^(BN) among all the nations on earth. ⁹ Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors^(BO) and by the kings^(BP) and queens^(BQ) of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives^(BR) in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?^{(BS) 10} To this day they have not humbled^(BT) themselves or shown reverence,^(BU) nor have they followed my law^(BV) and the decrees^(BW) I set before you and your ancestors.^(BX)

¹¹ “Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty,^(BY) the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster^(BZ) on you and to destroy all Judah. ¹² I will take away the remnant^(CA) of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest,^(CB) they will die by sword or famine.^(CC) They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach.^{(CD) 13} I will punish^(CE) those who live in Egypt with the sword,^(CF) famine and plague,^(CG) as I punished Jerusalem. ¹⁴ None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”^(CH)

¹⁵ Then all the men who knew that their wives^(CI) were burning incense^(CJ) to other gods, along with all the women^(CK) who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt,^(CL) said to Jeremiah, ¹⁶ “We will not listen^(CM) to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!^{(CN) 17} We will certainly do everything we said we would:^(CO) We will burn incense^(CP) to the Queen of Heaven^(CQ) and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials^(CR) did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.^(CS) At that time we had plenty of food^(CT) and were well off and suffered no harm.^{(CU) 18} But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings^(CV) to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.^(CW)”

¹⁹ The women added, “When we burned incense^(CX) to the Queen of Heaven^(CY) and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands^(CZ) know that we were making cakes^(DA) impressed with her image^(DB) and pouring out drink offerings to her?”

²⁰ Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, ²¹ “Did not the Lord remember^(DC) and call to mind the incense^(DD) burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem^(DE) by you and your ancestors,^(DF) your kings and your officials and the people of the land?^{(DG) 22} When the Lord could no longer endure^(DH) your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curse^(DI) and a desolate waste^(DJ) without inhabitants, as it is today.^{(DK) 23} Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followed^(DL) his law or his decrees^(DM) or his stipulations, this disaster^(DN) has come upon you, as you now see.”^(DO)

²⁴ Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women,^(DP) “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt.^{(DQ) 25} This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives^(DR) have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’^(DS)

“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!^{(DT) 26} But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt:^(DU) ‘I swear^(DV) by my great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign^(DW) Lord lives.”^{(DX) 27} For I am watching^(DY) over them for harm,^(DZ) not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish^(EA) by sword and famine^(EB) until they are all destroyed.^{(EC) 28} Those who escape the sword^(ED) and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few.^(EE) Then the whole remnant^(EF) of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand^(EG)—mine or theirs.^(EH)

²⁹ “‘This will be the sign^(EI) to you that I will punish^(EJ) you in this place,’ declares the Lord, ‘so that you will know that my threats of harm against you will surely stand.’^{(EK) 30} This is what the Lord says: ‘I am going to deliver Pharaoh^(EL) Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who want to kill him, just as I gave Zedekiah^(EM) king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who wanted to kill him.’”^(EN)

A Message to Baruch

45 When Baruch^(EO) son of Neriah^(EP) wrote on a scroll^(EQ) the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim^(ER) son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch: ² “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: ³ You said, ‘Woe^(ES) to me! The Lord has added sorrow^(ET) to my pain;^(EU) I am worn out with groaning^(EV) and find no rest.’^{(EW) 4} But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot^(EX) what I have planted,^(EY) throughout the earth.^{(EZ) 5} Should you then seek great^(FA) things for yourself? Do not seek them.^(FB) For I will bring disaster^(FC) on all people,^(FD) declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape^(FE) with your life.’”^(FF)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(A) you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(B)

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(C) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^{(D) 35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^{(E) 36} So if the Son sets you free,^(F) you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,^(G) because you have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,^(H) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.^[a]”^(I)

³⁹ “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”^(J) said Jesus, “then you would^[b] do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰ As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,^(K) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.^(L) Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your own father.”^(M)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”^(N)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,^(O) for I have come here from God.^(P) I have not come on my own;^(Q) God sent me.^{(R) 43} Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil,^(S) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.^(T) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^{(U) 45} Yet because I tell the truth,^(V) you do not believe me! ⁴⁶ Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.^(W) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan^(X) and demon-possessed?”^(Y)

⁴⁹ “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ I am not seeking glory for myself;^(Z) but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”^(AA)

⁵² At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!^(AB) Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham?^(AC) He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

⁵⁴ Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself,^(AD) my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.^{(AE) 55} Though you do not know him,^(AF) I know him.^(AG) If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.^{(AH) 56} Your father Abraham^(AI) rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it^(AJ) and was glad.”

⁵⁷ “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

⁵⁸ “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born,^(AK) I am!”^{(AL) 59} At this, they picked up stones to stone him,^(AM) but Jesus hid himself,^(AN) slipping away from the temple grounds.