Jeremiah 20:7-13
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Jeremiah Denounces His Persecutors
7 O Lord, you have enticed me,
and I was enticed;
you have overpowered me,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughing-stock all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I must cry out,
I must shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’
For the word of the Lord has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
9 If I say, ‘I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name’,
then within me there is something like a burning fire
shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
10 For I hear many whispering:
‘Terror is all around!
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All my close friends
are watching for me to stumble.
‘Perhaps he can be enticed,
and we can prevail against him,
and take our revenge on him.’
11 But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble,
and they will not prevail.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonour
will never be forgotten.
12 O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous,
you see the heart and the mind;
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
13 Sing to the Lord;
praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hands of evildoers.
Jeremiah 20:7-13
New International Version
Jeremiah’s Complaint
7 You deceived[a](A) me, Lord, and I was deceived[b];
you overpowered(B) me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed(C) all day long;
everyone mocks(D) me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.(E)
So the word of the Lord has brought me
insult and reproach(F) all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word
or speak anymore in his name,”(G)
his word is in my heart like a fire,(H)
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;(I)
indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
“Terror(J) on every side!
Denounce(K) him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends(L)
are waiting for me to slip,(M) saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail(N) over him
and take our revenge(O) on him.”
11 But the Lord(P) is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors(Q) will stumble and not prevail.(R)
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;(S)
their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,(T)
let me see your vengeance(U) on them,
for to you I have committed(V) my cause.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded
- Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded
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