¹⁴ “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise^(A) I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

¹⁷ For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail^(I) to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, ¹⁸ nor will the Levitical^(J) priests^(K) ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.^(L)’”

¹⁹ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁰ “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day^(M) and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time,^{(N) 21} then my covenant^(O) with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites^(P) who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.^{(Q) 22} I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless^(R) as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”

²³ The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁴ “Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms^[b](S) he chose’? So they despise^(T) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.^{(U) 25} This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night^(V) and established the laws^(W) of heaven and earth,^{(X) 26} then I will reject^(Y) the descendants of Jacob^(Z) and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes^[c](AA) and have compassion^(AB) on them.’”

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard^[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains^(A) for Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my chains,^(B) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.^(C)

¹⁵ It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶ The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.^{(D) 17} The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,^(E) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.^{(F) 18} But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers^(G) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ^(H) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.^{[c](I) 20} I eagerly expect^(J) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage^(K) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,^(L) whether by life or by death.^{(M) 21} For to me, to live is Christ^(N) and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart^(O) and be with Christ,^(P) which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

²⁷ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy^(Q) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm^(R) in the one Spirit,^[d] striving together^(S) as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹ For it has been granted to you^(T) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer^(U) for him, ³⁰ since you are going through the same struggle^(V) you saw^(W) I had, and now hear^(X) that I still have.

Freedom for Slaves

⁸ The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people^(A) in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom^(B) for the slaves. ⁹ Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.^{(C) 10} So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. ¹¹ But afterward they changed their minds^(D) and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.

¹² Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ¹³ “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors^(E) when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.^(F) I said, ¹⁴ ‘Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.’^[a](G) Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention^(H) to me. ¹⁵ Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people.^(I) You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name.^{(J) 16} But now you have turned around^(K) and profaned^(L) my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.

¹⁷ “Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you,^(M) declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague^(N) and famine.^(O) I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.^{(P) 18} Those who have violated my covenant^(Q) and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.^{(R) 19} The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials,^(S) the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, ²⁰ I will deliver^(T) into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them.^(U) Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.^(V)

²¹ “I will deliver Zedekiah^(W) king of Judah and his officials^(X) into the hands of their enemies^(Y) who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon,^(Z) which has withdrawn^(AA) from you. ²² I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take^(AB) it and burn^(AC) it down. And I will lay waste^(AD) the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(A) 24} The Jews^(B) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”^(C)

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you,^(D) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,^{(E) 26} but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^{(F) 27} My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^(G) and they follow me.^{(H) 28} I give them eternal life,^(I) and they shall never perish;^(J) no one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(K) 29} My Father, who has given them to me,^(L) is greater than all^[b];^(M) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(N)

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^{(O) 32} but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”^(P)

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,^(Q) ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[c]?^{(R) 35} If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God^(S) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside^(T)— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart^(U) as his very own^(V) and sent into the world?^(W) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(X) 37} Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.^{(Y) 38} But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”^{(Z) 39} Again they tried to seize him,^(AA) but he escaped their grasp.^(AB)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan^(AC) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,^(AD) all that John said about this man was true.”^{(AE) 42} And in that place many believed in Jesus.^(AF)