Jeremiah 29
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1This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.1This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exiles, the priests, the prophets, and all the people Nebuchadnezzar had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2(This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.)2This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had left Jerusalem.
3He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:3The letter was sent by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter stated:
4This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:4This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5"Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.5"Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce.
6Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.6Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.
7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."7Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper."
8Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.8For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "Don't let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and don't listen to the dreams you elicit from them,
9They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD.9for they are prophesying falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them." This is the LORD's declaration.
10This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.10For this is what the LORD says: "When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place.
11For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.11For I know the plans I have for you"--this is the LORD's declaration--"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.12You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.13You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
14I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."14I will be found by you"--this is the LORD's declaration--"and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you"--this is the LORD's declaration. "I will restore you to the place I deported you from."
15You may say, "The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,"15You have said, "The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon!"
16but this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David's throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile--16But this is what the LORD says concerning the king sitting on David's throne and concerning all the people living in this city--that is, concerning your brothers who did not go with you into exile.
17yes, this is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.17This is what the LORD of Hosts says: "I am about to send against them sword, famine, and plague and will make them like rotten figs that are inedible because they are so bad.
18I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them.18I will pursue them with sword, famine, and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth--a curse and a desolation, an object of scorn and a disgrace among all the nations where I have banished them.
19For they have not listened to my words," declares the LORD, "words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either," declares the LORD.19I will do this because they have not listened to My words"--this is the LORD's declaration--"that I sent to them with My servants the prophets time and time again. And you too have not listened." This is the LORD's declaration.
20Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.20Hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: "I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes.21This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to Ahab son of Kolaiah and to Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, the ones prophesying a lie to you in My name: "I am about to hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.
22Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: 'May the LORD treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.'22Based on what happens to them, all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will create a curse that says, 'May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!'
23For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and in my name they have uttered lies--which I did not authorize. I know it and am a witness to it," declares the LORD.23because they have committed an outrage in Israel by committing adultery with their neighbors' wives and have spoken a lie in My name, which I did not command them. I am He who knows, and I am a witness." This is the LORD's declaration.
24Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite,24To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you are to say,
25"This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah,25"This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: You in your own name have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying:
26The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the LORD; you should put any maniac who acts like a prophet into the stocks and neck-irons.26 'The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada the priest to be the chief officer in the temple of the LORD, responsible for every madman who acts like a prophet. You must confine him in the stocks and an iron collar.
27So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?27So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who has been acting like a prophet among you?
28He has sent this message to us in Babylon: It will be a long time. Therefore build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.'"28For he has sent word to us in Babylon, claiming, "The exile will be long. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce."'"
29Zephaniah the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet.29Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.
30Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:30Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
31"Send this message to all the exiles: 'This is what the LORD says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies,31"Send a message to all the exiles, saying: This is what the LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and made you trust a lie,
32this is what the LORD says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good things I will do for my people, declares the LORD, because he has preached rebellion against me.'"32this is what the LORD says: I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. There will not be even one of his descendants living among these people, nor will any ever see the good that I will bring to My people"--this is the LORD's declaration--"for he has preached rebellion against the LORD."
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Jeremiah 28
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