Jeremiah 20:7-10
New King James Version
Jeremiah’s Unpopular Ministry
7 O Lord, You [a]induced me, and I was persuaded;
(A)You are stronger than I, and have prevailed.
(B)I am [b]in derision daily;
Everyone mocks me.
8 For when I spoke, I cried out;
(C)I shouted, “Violence and plunder!”
Because the word of the Lord was made to me
A reproach and a derision daily.
9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a (D)burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And (E)I could not.
10 (F)For I heard many [c]mocking:
“Fear on every side!”
“Report,” they say, “and we will report it!”
(G)All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying,
“Perhaps he can be induced;
Then we will prevail against him,
And we will take our revenge on him.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 20:7 enticed or persuaded
- Jeremiah 20:7 Lit. a laughingstock all the day
- Jeremiah 20:10 slandering
Jeremiah 20:7-10
Authorized (King James) Version
7 O Lord, thou hast deceived me,
and I was deceived:
thou art stronger than I,
and hast prevailed:
I am in derision daily,
every one mocketh me.
8 For since I spake, I cried out,
I cried violence and spoil;
because the word of the Lord
was made a reproach unto me,
and a derision, daily.
9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him,
nor speak any more in his name.
But his word was in mine heart
as a burning fire shut up in my bones,
and I was weary with forbearing,
and I could not stay.
10 For I heard the defaming of many,
fear on every side.
Report, say they, and we will report it.
All my familiars watched for my halting, saying,
Peradventure he will be enticed,
and we shall prevail against him,
and we shall take our revenge on him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.