New Living Translation | New International Version |
1The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, | 1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: |
2“Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” | 2"Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." |
3So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. | 3So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. |
4But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. | 4But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. |
5Then the LORD gave me this message: | 5Then the word of the LORD came to me. |
6“O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. | 6He said, "Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. |
7If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, | 7If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, |
8but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. | 8and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. |
9And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom, | 9And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, |
10but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would. | 10and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it. |
11“Therefore, Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.’” | 11"Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, 'This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.' |
12But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.” | 12But they will reply, 'It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.'" |
13So this is what the LORD says: “Has anyone ever heard of such a thing, even among the pagan nations? My virgin daughter Israel has done something terrible! | 13Therefore this is what the LORD says: "Inquire among the nations: Who has ever heard anything like this? A most horrible thing has been done by Virgin Israel. |
14Does the snow ever disappear from the mountaintops of Lebanon? Do the cold streams flowing from those distant mountains ever run dry? | 14Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources ever stop flowing? |
15But my people are not so reliable, for they have deserted me; they burn incense to worthless idols. They have stumbled off the ancient highways and walk in muddy paths. | 15Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up. |
16Therefore, their land will become desolate, a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will shake their heads in amazement. | 16Their land will be an object of horror and of lasting scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and will shake their heads. |
17I will scatter my people before their enemies as the east wind scatters dust. And in all their trouble I will turn my back on them and refuse to notice their distress.” A Plot against Jeremiah | 17Like a wind from the east, I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back and not my face in the day of their disaster." |
18Then the people said, “Come on, let’s plot a way to stop Jeremiah. We have plenty of priests and wise men and prophets. We don’t need him to teach the word and give us advice and prophecies. Let’s spread rumors about him and ignore what he says.” | 18They said, "Come, let's make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let's attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says." |
19LORD, hear me and help me! Listen to what my enemies are saying. | 19Listen to me, LORD; hear what my accusers are saying! |
20Should they repay evil for good? They have dug a pit to kill me, though I pleaded for them and tried to protect them from your anger. | 20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you and spoke in their behalf to turn your wrath away from them. |
21So let their children starve! Let them die by the sword! Let their wives become childless widows. Let their old men die in a plague, and let their young men be killed in battle! | 21So give their children over to famine; hand them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives be made childless and widows; let their men be put to death, their young men slain by the sword in battle. |
22Let screaming be heard from their homes as warriors come suddenly upon them. For they have dug a pit for me and have hidden traps along my path. | 22Let a cry be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet. |
23LORD, you know all about their murderous plots against me. Don’t forgive their crimes and blot out their sins. Let them die before you. Deal with them in your anger. | 23But you, LORD, know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their crimes or blot out their sins from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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