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Jeremiah’s Speech in the Temple
26 At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all Judah’s cities that are coming to worship there. Do not hold back a word.(B) 3 Perhaps they will listen and return—each from his evil way of life—so that I might relent(C) concerning the disaster that I plan to do to them because of the evil of their deeds. 4 You are to say to them: This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to Me by living according to My instruction that I set before you(D) 5 and by listening to the words of My servants the prophets(E) I have been sending you time and time again,[a] though you did not listen, 6 I will make this temple like Shiloh.(F) I will make this city an object of cursing for all the nations of the earth.”
Jeremiah Seized
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the temple of the Lord. 8 He finished the address the Lord had commanded him to deliver to all the people. Then the priests, the prophets, and all the people took hold of him, yelling, “You must surely die! 9 How dare you prophesy in the name of Yahweh, ‘This temple will become like Shiloh and this city will become an uninhabited ruin’!” Then all the people assembled against Jeremiah at the Lord’s temple.
10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they went from the king’s palace to the Lord’s temple and sat at the entrance of the New Gate.[b](G) 11 Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man deserves the death sentence because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”(H)
Jeremiah’s Defense
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and the people, “The Lord sent me to prophesy all the words that you have heard against this temple and city. 13 So now, correct your ways and deeds(I) and obey the voice of the Lord your God so that He might relent concerning the disaster that He warned about. 14 As for me, here I am in your hands; do to me what you think is good and right. 15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood(J) on yourselves, on this city, and on its residents, for it is certain the Lord has sent me to speak all these things directly to you.”
Jeremiah Released
16 Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man doesn’t deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God!”
17 Some of the elders of the land stood up(K) and said to all the assembled people, 18 “Micah the Moreshite(L) prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah(M) and said to all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts says:
Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become ruins,
and the temple mount a forested hill.’(N)
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all the people of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and plead for the Lord’s favor,[c](O) and did not the Lord relent concerning the disaster He had pronounced against them?(P) We are about to bring great harm on ourselves!”
The Prophet Uriah
20 Another man was also prophesying in the name of Yahweh—Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim.(Q) He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like all those of Jeremiah. 21 King Jehoiakim, all his warriors, and all the officials heard his words, and the king tried to put him to death. When Uriah heard, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. 22 But King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor(R) and certain other men with him went to Egypt. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who executed him with the sword and threw his corpse into the burial place of the common people.[d]
24 But Ahikam(S) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
The Yoke of Babylon
27 At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah[e] son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord:[f] 2 “This is what the Lord said to me: Make chains and yoke bars(T) for yourself and put them on your neck. 3 Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon(U) through messengers who are coming to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem. 4 Command them to go to their masters, saying: This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: This is what you must say to your masters: 5 By My great strength and outstretched arm,(V) I made the earth,(W) and the people, and animals on the face of the earth. I give it to anyone I please.[g](X) 6 So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant(Y) Nebuchadnezzar,(Z) king of Babylon. I have even given him the wild animals to serve him. 7 All nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until the time for his own land comes, and then many nations and great kings will enslave him.(AA)
8 “As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“until through him I have destroyed it. 9 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, diviners,(AB) dreamers, fortune-tellers,(AC) or sorcerers(AD) who say to you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon!’ 10 for they prophesy a lie to you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish. 11 But as for the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in its own land, and that nation will cultivate[h] it and reside in it.” This is the Lord’s declaration.
Warning to Zedekiah
12 I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah(AE) in the same way: “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live! 13 Why should you and your people die(AF) by the sword, famine, or plague as the Lord has threatened against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying a lie to you.(AG) 15 ‘I have not sent them’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘and they are prophesying falsely in My name; therefore, I will banish you, and you will perish—you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.’”
16 Then I spoke to the priests and all these people, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets. They are prophesying to you, claiming, “Look, very soon now the articles of the Lord’s temple will be brought back from Babylon.”(AH) They are prophesying a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin?(AI) 18 If they are indeed prophets and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them intercede with the Lord of Hosts not to let the articles that remain in the Lord’s temple, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem go to Babylon.’ 19 For this is what the Lord of Hosts says about the pillars, the sea, the water carts,(AJ) and the rest of the articles that still remain in this city, 20 those Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he deported Jeconiah[i] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon along with all the nobles of Judah(AK) and Jerusalem. 21 Yes, this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about the articles that remain in the temple of the Lord, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be brought to Babylon and will remain there until I attend to them again.’(AL) This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.’”(AM)
Pray for Us
3 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,(A) 2 and that we may be delivered(B) from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith.[a] 3 But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one.(C) 4 We have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do what we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.(D)
Warning against Irresponsible Behavior
6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name(E) of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother(F) who walks irresponsibly and not according to the tradition(G) received(H) from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate(I) us: We were not irresponsible among you; 8 we did not eat(J) anyone’s food[b] free of charge;(K) instead, we labored(L) and struggled,(M) working(N) night and day, so that we would not be a burden(O) to any of you. 9 It is not that we don’t have the right(P) to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate(Q) us. 10 In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”(R) 11 For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others.(S) 12 Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ that quietly working, they may eat their own food.[c] 13 Brothers, do not grow weary(T) in doing good.
14 And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet don’t treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Final Greetings
16 May the Lord of peace(U) Himself give you peace always in every way.(V) The Lord be with all of you.(W) 17 This greeting is in my own hand(X)—Paul. This is a sign in every letter; this is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
Psalm 85
Restoration of Favor
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Lord, You showed favor to Your land;(A)
You restored Jacob’s prosperity.[a](B)
2 You took away Your people’s guilt;
You covered all their sin.(C)
3 You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned from Your burning anger.(D)
4 Return to us, God of our salvation,
and abandon Your displeasure with us.(E)
5 Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger for all generations?(F)
6 Will You not revive us again
so that Your people may rejoice in You?(G)
7 Show us Your faithful love, Lord,
and give us Your salvation.(H)
8 I will listen to what God will say;
surely the Lord will declare peace
to His people, His godly ones,
and not let them go back to foolish ways.(I)
9 His salvation is very near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.(J)
10 Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.(K)
11 Truth will spring up from the earth,
and righteousness will look down from heaven.(L)
12 Also, the Lord will provide what is good,
and our land will yield its crops.(M)
13 Righteousness will go before Him
to prepare the way for His steps.(N)
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