Jeremiah 29:24-32

GOD’S WORD Translation

²⁴ ⌞The Lord says,⌟ “Say to Shemaiah from Nehelam, ²⁵ ‘This is what the Lord of Armies, the God 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 The Lord made you priest instead of Jehoiada so that there would be officials for the Lord’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 the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, ³¹ “Send this message to all the captives: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah from Nehelam: Shemaiah prophesied to you, but I didn’t send him. He has made you believe a lie. ³² The Lord 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 the Lord, because he has encouraged rebellion against the Lord.’ ”