Two Baskets of Figs

24 After Jehoiachin^[a](A) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs^(B) placed in front of the temple of the Lord. ² One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early;^(C) the other basket had very bad^(D) figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

³ Then the Lord asked me, “What do you see,^(E) Jeremiah?”

“Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.”

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁵ “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent^(F) away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.^{[b] 6} My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back^(G) to this land. I will build^(H) them up and not tear them down; I will plant^(I) them and not uproot them. ⁷ I will give them a heart to know^(J) me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people,^(K) and I will be their God, for they will return^(L) to me with all their heart.^(M)

⁸ “‘But like the bad^(N) figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the Lord, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah^(O) king of Judah, his officials^(P) and the survivors^(Q) from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt.^{(R) 9} I will make them abhorrent^(S) and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword,^(T) a curse^[c](U) and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish^(V) them. ¹⁰ I will send the sword,^(W) famine^(X) and plague^(Y) against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.^(Z)’”

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,^(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders^(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets^(C) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.^(D)

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(E) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^{(F) 4} They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?^(G) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”^{(H) 5} But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word^(I) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.^{(J) 6} By these waters also the world of that time^(K) was deluged and destroyed.^{(L) 7} By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,^(M) being kept for the day of judgment^(N) and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.^{(O) 9} The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,^(P) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient^(Q) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.^(R)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(S) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(T) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(U) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a](V)