Jeremiah 18:1-10

Living Bible

18 Here is another message to Jeremiah from the Lord:

² Go down to the shop where clay pots and jars are made, and I will talk to you there. ³ I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. ⁴ But the jar that he was forming didn’t turn out as he wished, so he kneaded it into a lump and started again.

⁵ Then the Lord said: ⁶ O Israel, can’t I do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. ⁷ Whenever I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be taken up and destroyed, ⁸ then if that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. ⁹ And if I announce that I will make a certain nation strong and great, ¹⁰ but then that nation changes its mind, turns to evil, and refuses to obey me, then I, too, will change my mind and not bless that nation as I had said I would.