Old/New Testament
Jeremiah Tells the Nations to Submit to Babylon
27 At the beginning of the reign of Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah, this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 this is what the Lord says to me: “Make restraints and yokes for yourself and put them on your neck. 3 Then send messengers[a] to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon through the envoys[b] who come to Jerusalem to king Zedekiah of Judah. 4 Give them this order for their masters: ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says, and this is what you are to say to your masters, 5 “By my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth, mankind, and the animals that are on the face of the earth, and I give it to whomever I see fit.[c] 6 Now I’ve given all these lands to my servant, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I’ve even given him the wild animals to serve him. 7 All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his country’s time also comes, and then many nations and great kings will use him as a slave. 8 If a nation and kingdom does not serve him—King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—and does not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I’ll judge that nation with the sword, with famine, and with plague,” declares the Lord, “until I’ve completely destroyed it by his hand. 9 You aren’t to listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers,[d] your soothsayers, and your sorcerers who say to you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 They’re prophesying a lie to you in order to remove you far away from your land. I’ll drive you out and you will perish. 11 But I’ll let the nation that brings its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him remain in its own land,” declares the Lord, “and they’ll work it and remain in it.”’”
Zedekiah Told to Submit to Babylon
12 I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah using words like these: “Bring your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon. Serve him and his people, and you will live! 13 Why should you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by plague as the Lord has decreed about the nation that does not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, ‘You won’t serve the king of Babylon.’ Indeed, they’re prophesying a lie to you. 15 For I didn’t send them,” declares the Lord, “and they’re falsely prophesying in my name, so I will drive both you and the prophets who prophesy to you out of the land.”
The People and Priests Told to Submit to Babylon
16 Then I spoke to the priests and all of the people: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: “The vessels from the Temple are about to be returned from Babylon very soon now.” Indeed, they’re prophesying a lie to you. 17 Don’t listen to them! Serve the king of Babylon and you’ll live. Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they’re prophets, and if they have a message from the Lord, let them plead with the Lord of the Heavenly Armies so that the utensils that remain in the Lord’s Temple, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem might not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says about the pillars, the bronze sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that remain in this city 20 that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon didn’t take when he took Jehoiakim’s son Jeconiah, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem from Jerusalem into exile to Babylon— 21 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel says about the vessels that remain in the Lord’s Temple, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, 22 “They’ll go into Babylon and there they’ll remain until the time I take note of them,” declares the Lord. “Then I’ll bring them up and return them to this place.”’”
Jeremiah Challenges a False Prophet
28 In that same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fourth year and the fifth month, Azzur’s son Hananiah, the prophet from Gibeon, told me at the Lord’s Temple in front of the priests and all the people, 2 “This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I’ve broken the yoke of the king of Babylon, 3 and within two years I’ll bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s Temple that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 I’ll bring back Jehoiakim’s son Jeconiah, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon to this place,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I’ll break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”
5 The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in front of the priests and all[e] the people who were standing in the Lord’s Temple. 6 The prophet Jeremiah said, “May the Lord truly do this thing! May the Lord fulfill the words[f] that you prophesied to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s Temple and all the exiles from Babylon to this place. 7 But please listen to what I’m saying in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 The prophets who came before us[g] from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and plague against many lands and great kingdoms. 9 When a prophet prophesies peace, and what the prophet speaks comes about, he will be known as the prophet whom the Lord has truly sent.”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke[h] from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. 11 Hananiah, in front of all the people, said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way, within two years, I’ll break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’” Then Jeremiah the prophet went on his way.
12 This message from the Lord came to Jeremiah after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke[i] from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet: 13 “Go and say to Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: “You have broken wooden yokes,[j] but you have made iron yokes[k] in their place.” 14 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “I’ve put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. They’ll serve him, and I’ve even given the wild animals to him.”’”
15 The prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord didn’t send you, and you are causing these people to trust in a lie. 16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘I’m about to remove[l] you from the face of the earth. This year you will die because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’”
17 So the prophet Hananiah died in the seventh month of that year.
Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles
29 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 2 after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the palace officials,[m] the officials[n] of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths left Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by Shaphan’s son Elasah and by Hilkiah’s son Gemariah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in Babylon, and it said, 4 “This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were taken from Jerusalem into exile to Babylon, 5 ‘Build houses and live in them.[o] Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and father sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so they may have sons and daughters. Increase in numbers there, don’t decrease. 7 Seek the welfare of the city to which I’ve exiled you and pray to the Lord for it, for your welfare depends on its welfare.’[p] 8 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Don’t let the prophets and diviners[q] who are among you deceive you, and don’t listen to them when they tell you their dreams.[r] 9 Indeed, they’re prophesying lies to you in my name. I didn’t send them,’ declares the Lord.
10 “For this is what the Lord says: ‘When Babylon’s seventy years are completed, I’ll take note of you and will fulfill my good promises to you by bringing you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for well-being, and not for calamity, in order to give you a future and a hope. 12 When you call out to me and come and pray to me, I’ll hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 14 I’ll be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I’ll restore your security[s] and gather you from all the nations and all the places to which I’ve driven you,’ declares the Lord. ‘I’ll bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.’
15 “Indeed, you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon.’
16 “But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne, and about the people who live in this city—your brothers who didn’t go with you into exile: 17 This is what the Lord says: ‘I’m about to send the sword, famine, and plague on them, and I’ll make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten because they’re so bad. 18 I’ll pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with plague, and I’ll make them a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms of the earth. I’ll make them[t] a curse, an object of horror, and scorn,[u] and a desolation in all the nations to which I’ve driven them, 19 because they didn’t listen to my words,’ declares the Lord. ‘When I sent my servants, the prophets, to you again and again,[v] you didn’t listen,’ declares the Lord.
20 “Now, all you exiles whom I sent from Jerusalem to Babylon, listen to this message from the Lord! 21 This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says about Kolaiah’s son Ahab and Maaseiah’s son Zedekiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name, ‘I’m about to give them into the domination[w] of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your eyes. 22 What happens to them will be the basis for a curse[x] for all the Judean exiles who are in Babylon. People will say,[y] “May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the Lord roasted[z] in the fire, 23 because they did something stupid[aa] in Israel. They committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they spoke lies that I didn’t command them. I’m the one who knows, and I’m a witness,” declares the Lord.’”
A Rebuke to Shemaiah
24 “You are to say to Shemaiah of Nehelam: 25 ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Because you sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, to Maaseiah’s son Zephaniah the priest and to all the priests— 26 The Lord made you a priest instead of Jehoiada the priest to serve in the Lord’s Temple as an official against every crazy prophet, and to put him in stocks and restraints. 27 And now, why didn’t you rebuke Jeremiah from Anathoth who prophesies to you? 28 So he sent a message[ab] to us in Babylon: ‘The exile[ac] will be long, so build houses and live in them.[ad] Plant gardens and eat their produce.’”’”
29 Then Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet, 30 and this message from the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “Send a message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah from Nehelam, “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I didn’t send him, and has made you trust a lie,” 32 therefore, this is what the Lord says: “I’m about to judge Shemaiah from Nehelam along with his descendants. He won’t have anyone related to him[ae] living among these people. Nor will he see the good that I’ll do for my people,” declares the Lord, “because he advocated rebellion against the Lord.”’”
Concentrate on Doing What is Good
3 Remind believers[a] to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work. 2 They are not to insult[b] anyone or be argumentative. Instead, they are to be gentle and perfectly courteous to everyone. 3 After all, we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and misled. We were slaves to many kinds of lusts and pleasures, spending our days in malice and jealousy. We were despised, and we hated one another.
4 In grace our Savior God appeared,
to make his love for mankind clear.
5 ‘Twas not for deeds that we had done,
but by his steadfast love[c] alone,
he saved us through a second birth,
renewed us by the Spirit’s[d] work,
6 and poured him out upon us, too,
through Jesus the Messiah[e] our Savior true.
7 And so, made heirs by his own grace,
eternal life we now embrace.[f]
8 This saying is trustworthy.[g] I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have put their faith in God may devote themselves to good actions. These things are good and helpful to other people.
9 But avoid foolish controversies, arguments about genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the Law. These things are useless and worthless. 10 Have nothing to do with a divisive person after you have warned him once or twice. 11 For you know that a person like this is corrupt and keeps on sinning, being self-condemned.
Final Instructions to Titus
12 As soon as I send Artemas to you, or perhaps Tychicus, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do all you can to send Zenas the expert in the Law and Apollos on their way, and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our own people should also learn to make good deeds a priority when urgent needs arise, so they won’t be unproductive.
Final Greeting
15 All who are with me send you greetings. Greet our fellow believers who love us. May grace be with all of you! Amen.[h]
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