Jeremiah in the Cistern

38 Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people:^{(A) 2} “Thus says the Lord: Those who stay in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but those who go out to the Chaldeans shall live; they shall have their lives as a prize of war and live.^{(B) 3} Thus says the Lord: This city shall surely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.”^{(C) 4} Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to be put to death because he is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city and all the people by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.”^{(D) 5} King Zedekiah said, “Here he is; he is in your hands, for the king is powerless against you.”^{(E) 6} So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. Now there was no water in the cistern but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.^(F)

Jeremiah Is Rescued by Ebed-melech

⁷ Ebed-melech the Cushite, a eunuch in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. The king happened to be sitting at the Benjamin Gate,^{(G) 8} So Ebed-melech left the king’s house and spoke to the king, ⁹ “My lord king, these men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah by throwing him into the cistern to die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.”^{(H) 10} Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take three^[a] men with you from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the cistern before he dies.” ¹¹ So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe of^[b] the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. ¹² Then Ebed-melech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Just put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so. ¹³ Then they drew Jeremiah up by the ropes and pulled him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.^(I)

Orderly Worship

²⁶ What should be done then, my brothers and sisters? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.^{(A) 27} If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three and each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there is no one to interpret, let them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. ³⁰ If someone sitting receives a revelation, let the first person be silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged ³² (and the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets, ³³ for God is a God not of disorder but of peace), as in all the churches of the saints.

³⁷ Anyone who claims to be a prophet or spiritual must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command^[a] of the Lord.^{(A) 38} Anyone who does not recognize this is not to be recognized. ³⁹ So, my brothers and sisters, strive to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues,^{(B) 40} but all things should be done decently and in order.

Not Peace, but a Sword

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword.^(A)

³⁷ “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me,^{(D) 38} and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^{(E) 39} Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.^(F)

Rewards

⁴⁰ “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{(G) 41} Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous, ⁴² and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”^(H)