Letter of Jeremiah 1-6

Common English Bible

Introduction

This is a copy of the letter that Jeremiah sent to those who would be taken as prisoners to Babylon by the Babylonian king. Jeremiah wrote to give them the instructions that God imposed upon him.

God’s exile of Israel into Babylon

¹ Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon’s king, will bring you as prisoners to Babylon because of the sins that you committed in the presence of God. ² When you enter Babylon, you will be there a long time, as long as seven generations. Afterward, I will bring you out from there peacefully. ³ In Babylon you will see gods of silver, gold, and wood paraded on the Babylonians’ shoulders. These gods inspire awe among the people. ⁴ Be careful that you don’t become like the Gentiles,^[a] letting fear of these gods grip you, ⁵ especially when you see large crowds of people walking in front of and behind them, worshipping them. But say to yourself, Lord, we want to worship you. ⁶ For God’s^[b] angel is with you, examining your souls.