God’s Message to Baruch

45 This is^[a] the message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Neriah’s son Baruch, when in the fourth year of the reign of^[b] Josiah’s son King Jehoiakim of Judah had, at Jeremiah’s dictation, written these words in a scroll: ² “This is what the Lord God of Israel says to you, Baruch: ³ ‘You have said, “How terrible for me, for the Lord has added sorrow to my pain. I’m weary with my groaning, and I haven’t found rest.”’ ⁴ Say this to him: ‘This is what the Lord says: “Look! What I’ve built I’m about to tear down, and what I’ve planted I’m about to pull up—and this will involve the entire land.” ⁵ Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t seek them. Indeed, I’m about to bring disaster on all flesh,’ declares the Lord, ‘but your life will be spared^[c] wherever you go.’”