Jeremiah 21:8
 Jeremiah 21:8 
New International Version (©2011)
"Furthermore, tell the people, 'This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.

New Living Translation (©2007)
"Tell all the people, 'This is what the LORD says: Take your choice of life or death!

English Standard Version (©2001)
“And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"You shall also say to this people, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
"But you must say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: Look, I am presenting to you the way of life and the way of death.

International Standard Version (©2012)
"You are to say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "I'm about to set before you the way of life and the way of death.

NET Bible (©2006)
"But tell the people of Jerusalem that the LORD says, 'I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"Say to these people, 'This is what the LORD says: I am going to give you the choice of life or death.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And unto this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

American King James Version
And to this people you shall say, Thus said the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

American Standard Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And to this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

Darby Bible Translation
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

English Revised Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Webster's Bible Translation
And to this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

World English Bible
To this people you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Young's Literal Translation
And unto this people thou dost say, Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am setting before you the way of life, And the way of death!

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:1-10 When the siege had begun, Zedekiah sent to ask of Jeremiah respecting the event. In times of distress and danger, men often seek those to counsel and pray for them, whom, at other times, they despise and oppose; but they only seek deliverance from punishment. When professors continue in disobedience, presuming upon outward privileges, let them be told that the Lord will prosper his open enemies against them. As the king and his princes would not surrender, the people are exhorted to do so. No sinner on earth is left without a Refuge, who really desires one; but the way of life is humbling, it requires self-denial, and exposes to difficulties.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And unto the people thou shalt say, thus saith the Lord,.... These are the words, not of the prophet to the messengers of the king, ordering or advising them what they each of them should say to the people; for the message by them is finished; but they are the words of the Lord to the prophet, directing him what he should say to the people at this critical juncture:

behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death; the way how to preserve their lives; and which, if they did not choose to take, would be inevitable death. The allusion seems to be to a phrase used by Moses, when he gave the law; obedience to which would issue in life, and disobedience in death, Deuteronomy 30:15.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. "Life," if ye surrender; "death," if ye persist in opposing the Chaldees (compare De 30:19). The individuality of Jeremiah's mission from God is shown in that he urges to unconditional surrender; whereas all former prophets had urged the people to oppose their invaders (Isa 7:16; 37:33, 35).


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Jerusalem will Fall to Babylon
7And afterward, said the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy. 8And to this people you shall say, Thus said the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. 9He that stays in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goes out, and falls to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey.

Deuteronomy 30:15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.
Deuteronomy 30:19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.
Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;
Isaiah 1:20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Jeremiah 38:17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live.