Old/New Testament
Confronting a False Prophet
20 When Pashhur son of Immer the kohen, who was chief officer in the House of Adonai, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, 2 Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks[a] at the Upper Benjamin Gate by the House of Adonai. 3 The following morning, Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks.
Then Jeremiah said to him, “Adonai no longer calls your name Pashhur, but Magormissabib[b]. 4 For thus says Adonai: ‘Behold, I will make you a terror both to yourself and to everyone you love. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, while your eyes look on. So I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them captive to Babylon and will slay them with the sword.
5 “Moreover I will give away all the wealth of this city, and all its produce and its precious things, even all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give over to the hand of their enemies, who will plunder them, take them away, and bring them to Babylon.
6 “As for you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, you will go into captivity, and you will go to Babylon. So there you will die, and there you will be buried—you and all your friends—to whom you have prophesied falsely.”
Fire Burning in My Bones
7 Adonai, You enticed me, so I was enticed.
You overpowered me, and prevailed.
I am a laughingstock all day long.
Everyone mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I cry out,
I proclaim, “Violence and ruin!”
For the word of Adonai is scorn
and ridicule to me all day long.
9 But if I say: “I won’t mention Him,
or speak any more in His Name,”
then it is like fire burning in my heart
—shut up in my bones—
I weary myself holding it in,
but I cannot.
10 For I heard the whispering of many:
“‘Terror on every side?’
Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”
Even all my close friends
are watching for my fall:
“Perhaps he may be deceived,
so we’ll get the better of him,
and we’ll get our revenge on him.”
11 But Adonai is with me like a dreadful warrior.
Therefore my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail.
Since they are not insightful and not wise,
they will be utterly shamed—
an everlasting disgrace, never to be forgotten.
12 Yet, Adonai–Tzva’ot—testing the righteous,
seeing the mind and the heart,
let me see Your vengeance on them!
For to You have I presented my case.
13 Sing to Adonai, praise Adonai!
For He has delivered the soul of the needy one
from the hand of evildoers.
14 Cursed be the day I was born!
The day that my mother bore me—
may it never be blessed!
15 Cursed be the one who brought the news to my father,
saying, “A baby boy is born to you!”
making him so glad.
16 Now let that one be like the cities
which Adonai overturned, with no relenting—
let him hear a cry in the morning
and a shout of alarm at noon,
17 since he did not kill me in the womb,
so my mother might have been my grave—
her womb filled forever.
18 Why did I ever come forth out of the womb
to see trouble and sorrow,
and my days end in shame?
Warning to King Zedekiah and Judah
21 The word which came to Jeremiah from Adonai, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchiah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the kohen, saying: 2 “Please inquire of Adonai for us, since Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps Adonai would deal with us according to all His wondrous miracles—so that he would withdraw from us?”
3 Then said Jeremiah to them, “Thus will you say to Zedekiah, 4 thus says Adonai, the God of Israel: ‘I will soon turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you use to fight against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans, who are besieging you outside the walls—I will assemble them in the center of this city. 5 I myself will fight against you, with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even with anger, fury and in great wrath. 6 I will also strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast—they will die of a great pestilence.’”
7 “Then afterward,” declares Adonai, “I will deliver King Zedekiah of Judah and his servants, as well as the people—those surviving in this city from the pestilence, the sword and the famine—into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, into the hand of their foes, yes, into the hand of those who seek their life. So he will smite them with the edge of the sword; he will not spare them, nor have pity or compassion.”
8 Now to this people you will say, thus says Adonai: “Look, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, or by the pestilence. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you, he will live, and he will have his life as prize.”
10 “For I have set My face against this city for evil, not for good.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.”
11 Also to the house of the king of Judah, hear the word of Adonai, 12 O house of David, thus says Adonai: “Render justice by morning, and rescue the one who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Otherwise My fury will go forth like fire and burn so none can extinguish it, because of their evil deeds.”
13 “Here I am, against you, situated in the valley, a rocky plateau”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“You are saying, ‘Who would come down against us? Who would enter into our lairs?’ 14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your deeds.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
“Also I will set fire to her forest, and it will consume all around her.”
4 I solemnly charge you—in the presence of God and Messiah Yeshua, who is about to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom— 2 proclaim the Word! Be ready when it is convenient or inconvenient.[a] Confront, rebuke, encourage—with complete patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not put up with sound instruction, but they will pile up for themselves teachers in keeping with their own desires, to have their ears tickled. 4 And they will turn away from hearing the truth and wander off to myths. 5 You, however, keep a clear mind in all things, withstand hardship, do the work of proclaiming the Good News, and fulfill your service.
Finishing the Fight, Receiving the Crown
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. 8 In the future there is reserved for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not to me only, but also to everyone who has longed for His appearing.
9 Do all you can to come to me quickly— 10 for Demas, having loved this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessolonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke is the only one with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12 I have sent Tychius to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak which I left with Carpus in Troas, along with the scrolls, and especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm—the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Be on guard against him too, for he vehemently opposed our message.
16 At my first defense, no one stood by me; instead, they all deserted me—may it not be counted against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be proclaimed in full measure, and all the nations might hear—and I was rescued from the lion’s mouth! [b] 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will deliver me safely into His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 21 Do all you can to come before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters. 22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.