| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: | 1The LORD said to Jeremiah: |
| 2“Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” | 2"Go down at once to the potter's house. I will speak to you further there." |
| 3Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. | 3So I went down to the potter's house and found him working at his wheel. |
| 4And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. | 4Now and then there would be something wrong with the pot he was molding from the clay with his hands. So he would rework the clay into another kind of pot as he saw fit. |
| 5Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: | 5Then the LORD said to me, |
| 6“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! | 6"I, the LORD, say: 'O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter's hand.' |
| 7The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, | 7There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. |
| 8if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. | 8But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. |
| 9And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, | 9And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. |
| 10if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it. | 10But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it. |
| 11“Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” ’ ” | 11So now, tell the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem this: The LORD says, 'I am preparing to bring disaster on you! I am making plans to punish you. So, every one of you, stop the evil things you have been doing. Correct the way you have been living and do what is right.' |
| 12And they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.” | 12But they just keep saying, 'We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly!'" |
| 13Therefore thus says the LORD: “Ask now among the Gentiles, Who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing. | 13Therefore, the LORD says, "Ask the people of other nations whether they have heard of anything like this. Israel should have been like a virgin. But she has done something utterly revolting! |
| 14Will a man leave the snow water of Lebanon, Which comes from the rock of the field? Will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters? | 14Does the snow ever completely vanish from the rocky slopes of Lebanon? Do the cool waters from those distant mountains ever cease to flow? |
| 15“Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway, | 15Yet my people have forgotten me and offered sacrifices to worthless idols! This makes them stumble along in the way they live and leave the old reliable path of their fathers. They have left them to walk in bypaths, in roads that are not smooth and level. |
| 16To make their land desolate and a perpetual hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished And shake his head. | 16So their land will become an object of horror. People will forever hiss out their scorn over it. All who pass that way will be filled with horror and will shake their heads in derision. |
| 17I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back and not the face In the day of their calamity.” | 17I will scatter them before their enemies like dust blowing in front of a burning east wind. I will turn my back on them and not look favorably on them when disaster strikes them." |
| 18Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.” | 18Then some people said, "Come on! Let us consider how to deal with Jeremiah! There will still be priests to instruct us, wise men to give us advice, and prophets to declare God's word. Come on! Let's bring charges against him and get rid of him! Then we will not need to pay attention to anything he says." |
| 19Give heed to me, O LORD, And listen to the voice of those who contend with me! | 19Then I said, "LORD, pay attention to me. Listen to what my enemies are saying. |
| 20Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them. | 20Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me. Just remember how I stood before you pleading on their behalf to keep you from venting your anger on them. |
| 21Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, And pour out their blood By the force of the sword; Let their wives become widows And bereaved of their children. Let their men be put to death, Their young men be slain By the sword in battle. | 21So let their children die of starvation. Let them be cut down by the sword. Let their wives lose their husbands and children. Let the older men die of disease and the younger men die by the sword in battle. |
| 22Let a cry be heard from their houses, When You bring a troop suddenly upon them; For they have dug a pit to take me, And hidden snares for my feet. | 22Let cries of terror be heard in their houses when you send bands of raiders unexpectedly to plunder them. For they have virtually dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for me to step into. |
| 23Yet, LORD, You know all their counsel Which is against me, to slay me. Provide no atonement for their iniquity, Nor blot out their sin from Your sight; But let them be overthrown before You. Deal thus with them In the time of Your anger. | 23But you, LORD, know all their plots to kill me. Do not pardon their crimes! Do not ignore their sins as though you had erased them! Let them be brought down in defeat before you! Deal with them while you are still angry! |
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