Old/New Testament
Yahweh Sends Jeremiah the Prophet
1 The words of (A)Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in (B)Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of [a]Yahweh came in the days of (C)Josiah the son of (D)Amon, king of Judah, in the (E)thirteenth year of his reign. 3 And it came in the days of (F)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of (G)Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying,
5 “Before I (H)formed you in the [b]innermost parts I knew you,
And (I)before you came out from the womb I set you apart;
I have (J)given you as a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then (K)I said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh!
Behold, I do not know how to speak
Because (L)I am a youth.”
7 But Yahweh said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
(M)Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,
And (N)all that I command you, you shall speak.
8 (O)Do not be afraid of them,
For (P)I am with you to deliver you,” declares Yahweh.
9 Then Yahweh sent forth His hand and (Q)touched my mouth, and Yahweh said to me,
“Behold, I have (R)put My words in your mouth.
10 See, (S)I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,
(T)To uproot and to tear down,
To cause to perish and to pull down,
(U)To build and to plant.”
The Almond Rod and Boiling Pot
11 Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “What do you see, (V)Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a rod of an [c]almond tree.” 12 Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well, for (W)I am [d]watching over My word to do it.”
13 The word of Yahweh came to me a second time saying, “(X)What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling (Y)pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then Yahweh said to me, “(Z)From the north the evil [e]will break open on all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For, behold, I am calling (AA)all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” declares Yahweh; “and they will come, and each one of them will (AB)put his throne at the opening of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls round about and against all the (AC)cities of Judah. 16 I will speak My judgments on them concerning all their evil, whereby they have (AD)forsaken Me and have (AE)burned incense to other gods and worshiped the (AF)works of their own hands. 17 Now, (AG)gird up your loins and arise and speak to them all which I command you. (AH)Do not be dismayed before them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 Now behold, I have given you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests, and to the people of the land. 19 And they will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for (AI)I am with you to deliver you,” declares Yahweh.
Judah Transgresses Against Yahweh
2 Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 2 “Go and (AJ)call out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh,
“I remember concerning you the (AK)lovingkindness of your youth,
The love of your betrothals,
(AL)Your walking after Me in the wilderness,
Through a land not sown.
3 Israel was (AM)holy to Yahweh,
The (AN)first of His produce.
(AO)All who ate of it became guilty;
Evil came upon them,” declares Yahweh.’”
4 Hear the word of Yahweh, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says Yahweh,
“(AP)What injustice did your fathers find in Me,
That they went far from Me
And walked after (AQ)vanity and became vain?
6 They did not say, ‘Where is Yahweh
Who (AR)brought us up out of the land of Egypt,
Who (AS)led us through the wilderness,
Through a land of deserts and of pits,
Through a land of drought and of the shadow of death,
Through a land that no one crossed
And where no man inhabited?’
7 I brought you into the (AT)fruitful land
To eat its fruit and its good things.
But you came and (AU)defiled My land,
And My inheritance you made an abomination.
8 The (AV)priests did not say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’
And those who handle the law (AW)did not know Me;
The [f]shepherds also transgressed against Me,
And the (AX)prophets prophesied by Baal
And walked after (AY)things that did not profit.
9 “Therefore I will yet (AZ)contend with you,” declares Yahweh,
“And with your sons’ sons I will contend.
10 For (BA)cross to the coastlands of [g]Kittim and see,
And send to (BB)Kedar and perceive closely
And see if there has been such a thing as this!
11 Has a nation changed gods
Though (BC)they were not gods?
But My people have (BD)changed their glory
For that which does not profit.
12 Be appalled, (BE)O heavens, at this,
And be horribly afraid, be very devastated,” declares Yahweh.
13 “For My people have done two evils:
They have forsaken Me,
The (BF)fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves (BG)cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.
14 “Is Israel (BH)a slave? Or is he a homeborn slave?
Why has he become plunder?
15 The young (BI)lions have roared at him;
They have given forth their voice.
And they have (BJ)made his land a desolation;
His cities have been turned into ruin, without inhabitant.
16 Also the [h]men of (BK)Memphis and Tahpanhes
Have [i]shaved the (BL)top of your head.
17 Have you not (BM)done this to yourself
By your forsaking Yahweh your God
When He (BN)led you in the way?
18 But now what are you doing (BO)on the road to Egypt,
To drink the waters of the [j](BP)Nile?
Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria,
To drink the waters of the [k]River?
19 (BQ)Your own evil will chastise you,
And your (BR)acts of faithlessness will reprove you;
Know therefore and see that it is evil and (BS)bitter
For you to forsake Yahweh your God,
And (BT)the dread of Me is not in you,” declares Lord Yahweh of hosts.
20 “For long ago [l](BU)I broke your yoke
And tore off your bonds;
But you said, ‘I will not serve!’
For on every (BV)high hill
And under every green tree
You have lain down as a harlot.
21 Yet I (BW)planted you a choice vine,
A completely true seed.
How then have you turned yourself before Me
Into the (BX)degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?
22 Although you (BY)wash yourself with lye
And [m]use much soap,
The (BZ)stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares Lord Yahweh.
23 “(CA)How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;
I have not walked after the (CB)Baals’?
Look at your way in the (CC)valley!
Know what you have done!
You are a swift young camel (CD)entangling her ways,
24 A (CE)wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,
That sniffs the wind in her passion.
In the time of her [n]heat who can turn her away?
All who seek her will not become weary;
In her month they will find her.
25 Keep your feet from being barefoot
And your throat from thirst;
But you said, ‘(CF)It is [o]hopeless!
No! For I have (CG)loved strangers,
And after them I will walk.’
26 “As the (CH)thief is shamed when he is found,
So the house of Israel is shamed;
They, their kings, their princes,
And their priests and their prophets,
27 Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
For they have turned their (CI)back to Me
And not their face;
But in the (CJ)time when their evil comes they will say,
‘Arise and save us.’
28 But where are your (CK)gods
Which you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can (CL)save you
In the time when your evil comes;
For (CM)according to the number of your cities
Are your gods, O Judah.
29 “Why do you contend with Me?
You have (CN)all transgressed against Me,” declares Yahweh.
30 “(CO)In vain I have struck your sons;
They received no discipline.
Your (CP)sword has devoured your prophets
Like a destroying lion.
31 O generation, [p]behold the word of Yahweh.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel
Or a (CQ)land of thick darkness?
Why do My people say, ‘(CR)We are free to roam;
We will no longer come to You’?
32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
Or a bride her attire?
Yet My people have (CS)forgotten Me
Days without number.
33 How well you prepare your way
To seek love!
Therefore even [q]the wicked women
You have taught your ways.
34 Also on your skirts is found
The (CT)lifeblood of the innocent needy;
You did not find them (CU)breaking in.
But in spite of all these things,
35 Yet you said, ‘I am innocent;
Surely His anger is turned away from me.’
Behold, I will (CV)enter into judgment with you
Because you (CW)say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Why do you (CX)despise Him so much
In changing your way?
Also, (CY)you will be put to shame by Egypt
As you were put to shame by (CZ)Assyria.
37 From this place also you will go out
With (DA)your hands on your head;
For Yahweh has rejected (DB)those in whom you trust,
And you will not succeed with them.”
Overseers and Deacons
3 (A)It is a trustworthy saying: if any man aspires to the (B)office of [a]overseer, he desires a good work. 2 [b](C)An overseer, then, must be above reproach, (D)the husband of one wife, (E)temperate, sensible, respectable, (F)hospitable, (G)able to teach, 3 (H)not addicted to wine [c]or pugnacious, but considerate, peaceable, (I)free from the love of money; 4 (J)leading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he take care of (K)the church of God?), 6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become (L)conceited and fall into the (M)condemnation of the devil. 7 And he must (N)have a good reputation with (O)those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and (P)the snare of the devil.
8 (Q)Deacons likewise must be dignified, not [d]double-tongued, (R)not indulging in much wine, (S)not fond of dishonest gain, 9 (T)but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 (U)And these men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. 11 [e]Women must likewise be dignified, (V)not malicious gossips, but (W)temperate, faithful in all things. 12 (X)Deacons must be (Y)husbands of only one wife, (Z)leading their children and their own households well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons (AA)obtain for themselves a [f]high standing and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you soon, 15 but [g]in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how [h]one ought to conduct himself in (AB)the household of God, which is the (AC)church of (AD)the living God, the (AE)pillar and support of the truth. 16 And by common confession, great is (AF)the mystery of godliness:
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.