Jeremiah 18:8
◄  Jeremiah 18:8  ►
New International Version (©2011)
and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.

New Living Translation (©2007)
but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned.

English Standard Version (©2001)
and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
However, if that nation I have made an announcement about turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the disaster I had planned to do to it.

International Standard Version (©2012)
But if that nation about which I spoke turns from its evil way, I'll change my mind about the disaster that I had planned for it.

NET Bible (©2006)
But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
But suppose the nation that I threatened turns away from doing wrong. Then I will change my plans about the disaster I planned to do to it.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
If that nation, against whom I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will change from the evil that I thought to do unto them.

American King James Version
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

American Standard Version
if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
If that nation against which I have spoken, shall repent of their evil, I also will repent of the evil that I have thought to do to them.

Darby Bible Translation
if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

English Revised Version
if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

Webster's Bible Translation
If that nation against which I have pronounced, shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

World English Bible
if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

Young's Literal Translation
And that nation hath turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have repented of the evil that I thought to do to it.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:1-10 While Jeremiah looks upon the potter's work, God darts into his mind two great truths. God has authority, and power, to form and fashion kingdoms and nations as he pleases. He may dispose of us as he thinks fit; and it would be as absurd for us to dispute this, as for the clay to quarrel with the potter. But he always goes by fixed rules of justice and goodness. When God is coming against us in judgments, we may be sure it is for our sins; but sincere conversion from the evil of sin will prevent the evil of punishment, as to persons, and to families, and nations.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

If that nation against whom I have pronounced,.... Such a sentence as this, should immediately, upon the above declaration, do as Nineveh did:

turn from their evil; their evil of sin, their evil ways and works, as an evidence of the truth of their repentance for former sins:

I will repent of the evil that one thought to do unto them; as they change their course of life, God will change the dispensations of his providence towards them, and not bring upon them the evil of punishment he threatened them with; in which sense repentance can only be understood of God, he doing that which is similar to what men do when they repent of anything; they stop their proceedings, and change their outward conduct; so God proceeds not to do what he threatened to do, and changes his outward behaviour to men; he wills a change, and makes one in his methods of acting, but never changes his will.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. their evil—in antithesis to, "the evil that I thought to do."

repent—God herein adapts Himself to human conceptions. The change is not in God, but in the circumstances which regulate God's dealings: just as we say the land recedes from us when we sail forth, whereas it is we who recede from the land (Eze 18:21; 33:11). God's unchangeable principle is to do the best that can be done under all circumstances; if then He did not take into account the moral change in His people (their prayers, &c.), He would not be acting according to His own unchanging principle (Jer 18:9, 10). This is applied practically to the Jews' case (Jer 18:11; see Jer 26:3; Jon 3:10).

Jeremiah 18:8 Parallel Commentaries

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The Potter and the Clay
…7At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; 8If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. 9And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; …

Psalm 106:45 for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.
Jeremiah 7:3 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place.
Jeremiah 12:16 And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, 'As surely as the LORD lives'--even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal--then they will be established among my people.
Jeremiah 26:3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.
Jeremiah 26:13 Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.
Jeremiah 36:3 Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin."
Jeremiah 42:10 If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you.
Ezekiel 18:21 "But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.
Ezekiel 33:14 And if I say to a wicked person, 'You will surely die,' but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just and right--
Hosea 11:8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
Joel 2:14 Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing-- grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.