Jeremiah 7:1-11

Expanded Bible

Jeremiah’s Temple Message

7 This is the word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah: ² “Stand at the gate of the ·Temple [^Lhouse of God] and ·preach [proclaim] this ·message [^Lword] there:

“‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of the nation of Judah! All you who come through these gates to ·worship [bow down to] the Lord, listen to this message! ³ This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts], the God of Israel, says: ·Change your lives and do what is right [^LReform/Amend your ways/paths and your deeds]! Then I will ·let you live [or live with you] in this place. ⁴ Don’t ·trust [put confidence in] ·the lies of people who say [^Lfalse words], “This is the Temple of the Lord. This is the Temple of the Lord. This is the Temple of the Lord [^Cpresumptuously thinking that God will not destroy the city as long as his house is there]!” ⁵ You must ·change your lives and do what is right [^Lreform/amend your ways/paths and your deeds]. Be fair to each other. ⁶ You must not ·be hard on [oppress] ·strangers [resident aliens], orphans, and widows [Deut. 10:18]. Don’t ·kill [^Lspill the blood of] innocent people in this place! Don’t ·follow [^Lgo after] other gods, or they will ·ruin [harm; hurt] your lives. ⁷ If you do these things, I will ·let you live [or live with you] in this land that I gave to your ·ancestors [fathers] ·to keep forever [^Lforever and ever].

⁸ “‘But look, you ·are trusting [have confidence in] ·lies [^Lfalse words], which is useless. ⁹ Will you steal and murder and be guilty of adultery? Will you falsely ·accuse other people [take oaths; swear]? Will you ·burn incense [make offerings] to the god Baal and ·follow [^Lgo after] other gods you have not known? ¹⁰ If you do that, do you think you can come before me and stand in this ·place [^Lhouse] ·where I have chosen to be worshiped [^Lwhich is called by my name]? Do you think you can say, “We are safe!” when you do all these ·hateful things [abominations]? ¹¹ This ·place [^Lhouse] ·where I have chosen to be worshiped [^Lthat is called by my name] is nothing more to you than a ·hideout [den] for robbers [Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46]. I have been watching you, says the Lord.