Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Jeremiah Must Live His Message

16 The Lord said to me:

² Jeremiah, don't get married and have children—Judah is no place to raise a family. ³ I'll tell you what's going to happen to children and their parents here. ⁴ They will die of horrible diseases and of war and starvation. No one will give them a funeral or bury them, and their bodies will be food for the birds and wild animals. And what's left will lie on the ground like manure.

⁵ When someone dies, don't visit the family or show any sorrow. I will no longer love or bless or have any pity on the people of Judah. ⁶ Rich and poor alike will die and be left unburied. No one will mourn and show their sorrow by cutting themselves or shaving their heads.^{[a] 7} No one will bring food and wine to help comfort those who are mourning the death of their father or mother.

⁸ Don't even set foot in a house where there is eating and drinking and celebrating. ^9 (A) Warn the people of Judah that I, the Lord All-Powerful, will put an end to all their parties and wedding celebrations. ¹⁰ They will ask, “Why has the Lord our God threatened us with so many disasters? Have we done something wrong or sinned against him?”

¹¹ Then tell them I have said:

People of Judah, your ancestors turned away from me; they rejected my laws and teachings and started worshiping other gods. ¹² And you have done even worse! You are stubborn, and instead of obeying me, you do whatever evil comes to your mind. ¹³ So I will throw you into a land that you and your ancestors know nothing about, a place where you will have to worship other gods both day and night. And I won't feel the least bit sorry for you.

Be Patient and Kind

⁷ My friends, be patient until the Lord returns. Think of farmers who wait patiently for the autumn and spring rains to make their valuable crops grow. ⁸ Be patient like those farmers and don't give up. The Lord will soon be here! ⁹ Don't grumble about each other or you will be judged, and the judge is right outside the door.

¹⁰ My friends, follow the example of the prophets who spoke for the Lord. They were patient, even when they had to suffer. ^11 (A) In fact, we praise the ones who endured the most. You remember how patient Job was and how the Lord finally helped him. The Lord did this because he is so merciful and kind.

^12 (B) My friends, above all else, don't take an oath. You must not swear by heaven or by earth or by anything else. “Yes” or “No” is all you need to say. If you say anything more, you will be condemned.