¹⁷ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender^(A) to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live.^(B)

¹² I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke^(A) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.^(B)

² “This is what the Lord says: ‘Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague,^(A) but whoever goes over to the Babylonians^[a] will live. They will escape with their lives; they will live.’^(B)

¹⁷ Do not listen^(A) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.^(B) Why should this city become a ruin?

³ Then all the officials^(A) of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon.

⁸ “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life^(A) and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.^(B) But whoever goes out and surrenders^(C) to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.^{(D) 10} I have determined to do this city harm^(E) and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands^(F) of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’^(G)

⁶ if you do not oppress^(A) the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood^(B) in this place, and if you do not follow other gods^(C) to your own harm, ⁷ then I will let you live in this place, in the land^(D) I gave your ancestors^(E) for ever and ever.