11 For I know the plans(A) I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper(B) you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.(C) 12 Then you will call(D) on me and come and pray(E) to me, and I will listen(F) to you. 13 You will seek(G) me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.(H) 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back(I) from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”(J)

15 You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” 16 but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— 17 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague(K) against them and I will make them like figs(L) that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent(M) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse[b](N) and an object of horror,(O) of scorn(P) and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 19 For they have not listened to my words,”(Q) declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again(R) by my servants the prophets.(S) And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.

20 Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent(T) away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies(U) to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. 22 Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned(V) in the fire.’ 23 For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery(W) with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know(X) it and am a witness(Y) to it,” declares the Lord.

Message to Shemaiah

24 Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite, 25 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah(Z) son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah, 26 ‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the Lord; you should put any maniac(AA) who acts like a prophet into the stocks(AB) and neck-irons. 27 So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you? 28 He has sent this message(AC) to us in Babylon: It will be a long time.(AD) Therefore build(AE) houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’”

29 Zephaniah(AF) the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes
  2. Jeremiah 29:18 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see verse 22); or, others will see that they are cursed.

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