Jeremiah’s Prophecies in the Temple

26 At the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came from the Lord:^{(A) 2} Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord; speak to them all the words that I command you; do not hold back a word.^{(B) 3} It may be that they will listen and will turn from their evil way, that I may change my mind about the disaster that I intend to bring on them because of their evil doings.^{(C) 4} You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you^{(D) 5} and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently—though you have not heeded^(E)— ⁶ then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.^(F)

⁷ The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. ⁸ And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die!^{(G) 9} Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.^(H)

¹⁰ When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord.^{(I) 11} Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”^(J)

¹² Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “It is the Lord who sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.^{(K) 13} Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he has pronounced against you.^{(L) 14} But as for me, here I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. ¹⁵ Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”^(M)

¹⁶ Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

Israel’s Rejection Is Not Final

11 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.^{(A) 2} God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?^{(B) 3} “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” ⁴ But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^{(C) 5} So, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. ⁶ But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.^[a](D)

⁷ What then? Israel has not achieved what it was pursuing. The elect have achieved it, but the rest were hardened,^{(E) 8} as it is written,

⁹ And David says,

The Salvation of the Gentiles

¹¹ So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their stumbling^[b] salvation has come to the gentiles, so as to make Israel^[c] jealous.^{(H) 12} Now if their stumbling^[d] means riches for the world and if their loss means riches for gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

¹⁹ Again the Jews were divided because of these words.^{(A) 20} Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?”^{(B) 21} Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(C)

Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews

²² At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.^{(D) 24} So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,^[a] tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me,^{(E) 26} but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep.^{(F) 27} My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.^{(G) 28} I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(H) 29} My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all,^[b] and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.^{(I) 30} The Father and I are one.”

³¹ The Jews took up stones again to stone him. ³² Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human, are making yourself God.”^{(J) 34} Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law,^[c] ‘I said, you are gods’?^{(K) 35} If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— ³⁶ can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(L) 37} If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me.^{(M) 38} But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand^[d] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”^{(N) 39} Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.^(O)

⁴⁰ He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. ⁴¹ Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.”^{(P) 42} And many believed in him there.^(Q)