耶利米書 29
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
致信給被擄的人
29 1-2 耶哥尼雅王、太后、宮廷侍臣、猶大和耶路撒冷的官員、技工和工匠被尼布甲尼撒王擄到巴比倫後，耶利米先知從耶路撒冷寄信給被擄之人中倖存的長老、先知和眾民。 3 猶大王西底迦派沙番的兒子以利亞薩和希勒迦的兒子基瑪利把這封信送給巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒。以下是信的內容：
4 以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華對所有從耶路撒冷被擄到巴比倫的人說： 5 「你們要建造房子住下來，要耕種田園，吃田中的出產。 6 你們要娶妻生子，也要給你們的兒女娶妻選夫，使他們生兒育女，你們好在那裡人丁興旺，不致人口減少。 7 你們要為所住的城市謀求福祉，向耶和華禱告，因為你們的福祉有賴於那城的福祉。」 8 以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華說：「不要被你們中間的先知和占卜者欺騙，不要聽信他們做的夢。 9 他們以我的名義對你們說假預言，其實我並沒有差遣他們。這是耶和華說的。」
10 耶和華說：「你們被擄到巴比倫七十年期滿後，我就要眷顧你們，成就我充滿恩典的應許，把你們帶回這地方。 11 因為我知道我為你們安排的計劃。我的計劃不是要降禍給你們，而是要賜福給你們，使你們的未來充滿希望。這是耶和華說的。 12 那時，你們必呼求我，向我禱告，我也必垂聽。 13 你們尋求我，就必尋見。只要你們全心尋求我， 14 我必讓你們尋見。這是耶和華說的。我必把你們從流放之地招聚起來，使你們回到故土。這是耶和華說的。
15 「你們說耶和華在巴比倫為你們選立了先知， 16 但論到坐在大衛寶座上的君王和這城裡的百姓，就是沒有與你們一同被擄的同胞， 17 萬軍之耶和華這樣說，『看啊，我必使戰爭、饑荒和瘟疫臨到他們，使他們像爛得不能吃的無花果。 18 我要使他們飽受戰爭、饑荒和瘟疫之災，使他們的遭遇令天下萬國驚懼。在我流放他們去的地方，他們必受凌辱、嘲笑、譏諷和咒詛。 19 這都是因為他們不聽我的話。這是耶和華說的。我曾屢次差遣我的僕人——眾先知去警告他們，他們卻不肯聽。』這是耶和華說的。 20 因此，你們這些從耶路撒冷被擄到巴比倫的人啊！要聽耶和華的話。 21 以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華說：『哥賴雅的兒子亞哈和瑪西雅的兒子西底迦以我的名義說假預言，我要把他們交在巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手中，讓他當著你們的面處死他們。 22 被擄到巴比倫的猶大人咒詛人的時候會說，「願耶和華使你的下場像被巴比倫王燒死的西底迦和亞哈一樣！」 23 因為他們二人在以色列做了惡事，與他人的妻子通姦。我沒有差派他們，他們卻奉我的名說假預言。我知道他們的所作所為，我對這一切瞭若指掌。』這是耶和華說的。」
24 耶和華吩咐我對尼希蘭人示瑪雅說： 25 「以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華說，你曾以自己的名義寫信給住在耶路撒冷的眾民、瑪西雅的兒子西番雅祭司及其他祭司。你在信中對西番雅說， 26 『耶和華已立你為祭司代替耶何耶大，管理耶和華的殿，負責拘捕妄自發預言的狂人，給他們戴上鐵鏈枷鎖。 27 現在，亞拿突人耶利米在你們當中自稱為先知，你為什麼不斥責他呢？ 28 他甚至寄信給我們這些在巴比倫的人，說被擄的日子還很長久，要我們建房子住下來，耕種田園，吃田中的出產。』」
29 西番雅祭司就把示瑪雅的信讀給耶利米先知聽。 30 耶和華對耶利米說： 31 「你派人送信給所有被擄的人，說，『耶和華說祂沒有差遣尼希蘭人示瑪雅，他卻說預言，誘使你們聽信謊言， 32 所以耶和華必懲罰他和他的後代，使他斷子絕孫，看不到耶和華賜給祂子民的福祉，因為他說了悖逆耶和華的話。這是耶和華說的。』」
Jeremiah 29
Names of God Bible
Jeremiah Writes to the Captives in Babylon
29 The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem to the rest of the leaders among the captives. He also sent it to the priests, the prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar took away as captives from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jehoiakin[a] and his mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and metal workers left Jerusalem.) 3 He sent the letter with Shaphan’s son Elasah and Hilkiah’s son Gemariah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah had sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. The letter said:
4 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Elohim of Israel, says to all those who were taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce. 6 Get married, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and let your daughters get married so that they can have sons and daughters. Grow in number there; don’t decrease. 7 Work for the good of the city where I’ve taken you as captives, and pray to Yahweh for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.
8 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Elohim of Israel, says: Don’t let the prophets or the mediums who are among you trick you. Don’t even listen to your own dreams. 9 These people are prophesying lies to you in my name. I didn’t send them, declares Yahweh.
10 This is what Yahweh says: When Babylon’s 70 years are over, I will come to you. I will keep my promise to you and bring you back to this place. 11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares Yahweh. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12 Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 When you look for me, you will find me. When you wholeheartedly seek me, 14 I will let you find me, declares Yahweh. I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I’ve scattered you, declares Yahweh. I will bring you back from the place where you are being held captive.
15 You’ve said that Yahweh has given you prophets in Babylon. 16 But this is what Yahweh says about the king who sits on David’s throne and about all the people who live in this city, the people who are your relatives and who weren’t taken away as captives: 17 Yahweh Tsebaoth says: I’m going to send them wars, famines, and plagues. These people are like rotten figs to me, figs that are so bad that they can’t be eaten. 18 I will chase them with wars, famines, and plagues. I will make them a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms on the earth. They will become something cursed, ridiculed, and hissed at, and they will be a disgrace among all the nations where I scatter them. 19 They didn’t listen to me, declares Yahweh. I sent them my servants the prophets again and again, but they refused to listen, declares Yahweh.
20 So listen to the word of Yahweh, all you captives who were sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Elohim of Israel, says about Kolaiah’s son Ahab and about Maaseiah’s son Zedekiah, who prophesy lies to you in my name: I’m going to hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will kill them as you watch. 22 Because of them, all the captives from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: May Yahweh curse you as he cursed Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned to death. 23 They have done shameful things in Israel. They committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and spoke lies in my name. I didn’t command them to do this. I know what they have done. I’m a witness, declares Yahweh.
24 The Lord says, “Say to Shemaiah from Nehelam, 25 ‘This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Elohim of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. These letters said: 26 Yahweh made you priest instead of Jehoiada so that there would be officials for Yahweh’s temple. You should put any lunatic who acts like a prophet in prison and in shackles. 27 Now, why haven’t you arrested Jeremiah from Anathoth? After all, he acts like a prophet among you. 28 That’s why Jeremiah sent this message to us in Babylon: You will be captives a long time. Build houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce.’”
29 The priest Zephaniah read this letter to the prophet Jeremiah.
30 Then Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, 31 “Send this message to all the captives: ‘This is what Yahweh says about Shemaiah from Nehelam: Shemaiah prophesied to you, but I didn’t send him. He has made you believe a lie. 32 Yahweh says: I will punish Shemaiah from Nehelam. I will also punish his descendants. No one from his family will be left alive. He will not see the blessings that I’m going to send my people, declares Yahweh, because he has encouraged rebellion against Yahweh.’”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 29:2 Masoretic Text “Jeconiah,” an alternate form of Jehoiakin.
Jeremiah 29
King James Version
29 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)
3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
10 For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
15 Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;
16 Know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
17 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
20 Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
23 Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.
24 Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
25 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
26 The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?
28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
30 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
32 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the Lord; because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord.
Jeremiah 29
New King James Version
Jeremiah’s Letter to the Captives
29 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were (A)carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This happened after (B)Jeconiah[a] the king, the (C)queen mother, the [b]eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of (D)Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, (E)and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst (F)deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy (G)falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord.
10 For thus says the Lord: After (H)seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to (I)return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will (J)call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will (K)listen to you. 13 And (L)you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me (M)with all your heart. 14 (N)I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; (O)I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
15 Because you have said, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon”— 16 (P)therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, concerning all the people who dwell in this city, and concerning your brethren who have not gone out with you into captivity— 17 thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like (Q)rotten figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. 18 And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I (R)will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth—to be (S)a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they have not heeded My words, says the Lord, which (T)I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the Lord. 20 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a (U)lie to you in My name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall slay them before your eyes. 22 (V)And because of them a curse shall be taken up by all the captivity of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, (W)whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire”; 23 because (X)they have done disgraceful things in Israel, have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken lying words in My name, which I have not commanded them. Indeed I (Y)know, and am a witness, says the Lord.
24 You shall also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, 25 Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, (Z)to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26 “The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there should be (AA)officers in the house of the Lord over every man who is (AB)demented and considers himself a prophet, that you should (AC)put him in prison and in the stocks. 27 Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who makes himself a prophet to you? 28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘This captivity is long; build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit.’ ”
29 Now Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 31 Send to all those in captivity, saying, Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, (AD)and I have not sent him, and he has caused you to trust in a (AE)lie— 32 therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his [c]family: he shall not have anyone to dwell among this people, nor shall he see the good that I will do for My people, says the Lord, (AF)because he has taught rebellion against the Lord.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 29:2 Jehoiachin, 2 Kin. 24:12; 2 Chr. 36:10
- Jeremiah 29:2 Or officers
- Jeremiah 29:32 descendants, lit. seed
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
