Jeremiah 26:7-19

New International Reader's Version

⁷ Jeremiah spoke these words in the Lord’s house. The priests, the prophets and all the people heard him. ⁸ Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say. But as soon as he did, the priests, the prophets and all the people grabbed him. They said, “You must die! ⁹ Why do you prophesy these things in the Lord’s name? Why do you say that this house will become like Shiloh? Why do you say that this city will be empty and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the Lord’s house.

¹⁰ The officials of Judah heard what had happened. So they went up from the royal palace to the Lord’s house. There they took their places at the entrance of the New Gate. ¹¹ Then the priests and prophets spoke to the officials and all the people. They said, “This man should be sentenced to death. He has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”

¹² Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and people. He said, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city. He told me to say everything you have heard. ¹³ So change the way you live and act. Obey the Lord your God. Then he won’t do what he said he would. He won’t bring on you the trouble he said he would bring. ¹⁴ As for me, I’m in your hands. Do to me what you think is good and right. ¹⁵ But you can be sure of one thing. If you put me to death, you will be held responsible for spilling my blood. And I haven’t even done anything wrong. You will bring guilt on yourselves and this city and those who live in it. The Lord has sent me to you. He wanted me to say all these things so you could hear them. And that’s the truth.”

¹⁶ Then the officials and all the people spoke to the priests and prophets. They said, “This man shouldn’t be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

¹⁷ Some of the elders of the land stepped forward. They spoke to the whole community gathered there. They said, ¹⁸ “Micah from Moresheth prophesied. It was during the time Hezekiah was king over Judah. Micah spoke to all the people of Judah. He told them, ‘The Lord who rules over all says,

¹⁹ Did King Hezekiah or anyone else in Judah put Micah to death? Hezekiah had respect for the Lord and tried to please him. And the Lord didn’t judge Jerusalem as he said he would. He didn’t bring on it the trouble he said he would bring. But we are about to bring horrible trouble on ourselves!”