Jeremiah 26:7-19
New Living Translation
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in front of the Lord’s Temple. 8 But when Jeremiah had finished his message, saying everything the Lord had told him to say, the priests and prophets and all the people at the Temple mobbed him. “Kill him!” they shouted. 9 “What right do you have to prophesy in the Lord’s name that this Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh? What do you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?” And all the people threatened him as he stood in front of the Temple.
10 When the officials of Judah heard what was happening, they rushed over from the palace and sat down at the New Gate of the Temple to hold court. 11 The priests and prophets presented their accusations to the officials and the people. “This man should die!” they said. “You have heard with your own ears what a traitor he is, for he has prophesied against this city.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to the officials and the people in his own defense. “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this Temple and this city,” he said. “The Lord gave me every word that I have spoken. 13 But if you stop your sinning and begin to obey the Lord your God, he will change his mind about this disaster that he has announced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands—do with me as you think best. 15 But if you kill me, rest assured that you will be killing an innocent man! The responsibility for such a deed will lie on you, on this city, and on every person living in it. For it is absolutely true that the Lord sent me to speak every word you have heard.”
16 Then the officials and the people said to the priests and prophets, “This man does not deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Then some of the wise old men stood and spoke to all the people assembled there. 18 They said, “Remember when Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. He told the people of Judah,
‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field;
Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins!
A thicket will grow on the heights
where the Temple now stands.’[a]
19 But did King Hezekiah and the people kill him for saying this? No, they turned from their sins and worshiped the Lord. They begged him for mercy. Then the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had pronounced against them. So we are about to do ourselves great harm.”
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Jeremiah 26:7-19
New American Standard Bible
A Plot to Murder Jeremiah
7 The (A)priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 Yet when Jeremiah finished speaking everything that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “(B)You must die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be (C)in ruins, without inhabitant’?” And (D)all the people gathered to Jeremiah at the house of the Lord.
10 When the (E)officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat at the (F)entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets (G)spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A (H)death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied (I)against this city, just as you have heard with your own ears!”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “(J)The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. 13 Now then, (K)reform your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will relent of the disaster which He has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, behold, (L)I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring (M)innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words [a]so that you hear them.”
Jeremiah Is Spared
16 Then the officials and all the people (N)said to the priests and the prophets, “No (O)death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17 Then (P)some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18 “[b](Q)Micah of Moresheth used to prophesy in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies has said:
“(R)Zion will be plowed like a field,
And Jerusalem will become heaps of ruins,
And the (S)mountain of the house like the [c]high places of a forest.”’
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah actually put him to death? Did he not (T)fear the Lord and plead for the favor of the Lord, and (U)the Lord relented of the disaster which He had pronounced against them? But we are (V)committing a great evil against our own lives!”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Jeremiah 26:15 Lit in your ears and the ears of all
- Jeremiah 26:18 Lit Micaiah the Morasthite
- Jeremiah 26:18 Or wooded heights
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
