39 ¹ In the ninth year of Zedekiah^(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege^(C) to it. ² And on the ninth day of the fourth^(D) month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall^(E) was broken through.^{(F) 3} Then all the officials^(G) of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. ⁴ When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls,^(H) and headed toward the Arabah.^[a](I)

⁵ But the Babylonian^[b] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah^(J) in the plains of Jericho. They captured^(K) him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah^(L) in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. ⁶ There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles^(M) of Judah. ⁷ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes^(N) and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.^(O)

⁸ The Babylonians^[c] set fire^(P) to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls^(Q) of Jerusalem. ⁹ Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him,^(R) and the rest of the people.^{(S) 10} But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

¹¹ Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: ¹² “Take him and look after him; don’t harm^(T) him but do for him whatever he asks.” ¹³ So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers^(U) of the king of Babylon ¹⁴ sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard.^(V) They turned him over to Gedaliah^(W) son of Ahikam,^(X) the son of Shaphan,^(Y) to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.^(Z)

¹⁵ While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: ¹⁶ “Go and tell Ebed-Melek^(AA) the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words^(AB) against this city—words concerning disaster,^(AC) not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. ¹⁷ But I will rescue^(AD) you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. ¹⁸ I will save^(AE) you; you will not fall by the sword^(AF) but will escape with your life,^(AG) because you trust^(AH) in me, declares the Lord.’”

Jeremiah Freed

40 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah.^(AI) He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives^(AJ) from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. ² When the commander^(AK) of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed^(AL) this disaster^(AM) for this place.^{(AN) 3} And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned^(AO) against the Lord and did not obey^(AP) him. ⁴ But today I am freeing^(AQ) you from the chains^(AR) on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”^{(AS) 5} However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^[d] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah^(AT) son of Ahikam,^(AU) the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed^(AV) over the towns^(AW) of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”^(AX)

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present^(AY) and let him go. ⁶ So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah^(AZ) and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Assassinated^(BA)

⁷ When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor^(BB) over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest^(BC) in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, ⁸ they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^(BD)—Ishmael^(BE) son of Nethaniah, Johanan^(BF) and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,^(BG) and Jaazaniah^[e] the son of the Maakathite,^(BH) and their men. ⁹ Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve^(BI) the Babylonians,^[f](BJ)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.^{(BK) 10} I myself will stay at Mizpah^(BL) to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine,^(BM) summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars,^(BN) and live in the towns you have taken over.”^(BO)

¹¹ When all the Jews in Moab,^(BP) Ammon, Edom^(BQ) and all the other countries^(BR) heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, ¹² they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered.^(BS) And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

¹³ Johanan^(BT) son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah^{(BU) 14} and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites^(BV) has sent Ishmael^(BW) son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

¹⁵ Then Johanan^(BX) son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill^(BY) Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered^(BZ) and the remnant^(CA) of Judah to perish?”

¹⁶ But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan^(CB) son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) and Timothy^(C) our brother,

² To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters^[a] in Christ:

Grace^(D) and peace to you from God our Father.^[b](E)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(F) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(G) you have for all God’s people^(H)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(I) stored up for you in heaven^(J) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(K) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(L) and growing throughout the whole world^(M)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(N) our dear fellow servant,^[c] who is a faithful minister^(O) of Christ on our^[d] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(P)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you,^(Q) we have not stopped praying for you.^(R) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will^(S) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[e](T) 10} so that you may live a life worthy^(U) of the Lord and please him^(V) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,^{(W) 11} being strengthened with all power^(X) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^{(Y) 12} and giving joyful thanks to the Father,^(Z) who has qualified you^[f] to share in the inheritance^(AA) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.^{(AB) 13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(AC) and brought us into the kingdom^(AD) of the Son he loves,^{(AE) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(AF) the forgiveness of sins.^(AG)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

¹⁵ The Son is the image^(AH) of the invisible God,^(AI) the firstborn^(AJ) over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created:^(AK) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;^(AL) all things have been created through him and for him.^{(AM) 17} He is before all things,^(AN) and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head^(AO) of the body, the church;^(AP) he is the beginning and the firstborn^(AQ) from among the dead,^(AR) so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased^(AS) to have all his fullness^(AT) dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile^(AU) to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,^(AV) by making peace^(AW) through his blood,^(AX) shed on the cross.

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies^(AY) in your minds^(AZ) because of^[g] your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled^(BA) you by Christ’s physical body^(BB) through death to present you^(BC) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation^(BD)— ²³ if you continue^(BE) in your faith, established^(BF) and firm, and do not move from the hope^(BG) held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,^(BH) and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.^(BI)