Jeremiah 18:12
New International Version
But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’”

New Living Translation
But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”

English Standard Version
“But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

Berean Standard Bible
But they will reply, ‘It is hopeless. We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’ ”

King James Bible
And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

New King James Version
And 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.”

New American Standard Bible
But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will persist in the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

NASB 1995
“But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

NASB 1977
“But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

Legacy Standard Bible
But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

Amplified Bible
But they will say, ‘That is hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act in accordance with the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

Christian Standard Bible
But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless. We will continue to follow our plans, and each of us will continue to act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless. We will continue to follow our plans, and each of us will continue to act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

American Standard Version
But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart.

Contemporary English Version
But I know you won't listen. You might as well answer, "We don't care what you say. We have made plans to sin, and we are going to be stubborn and do as we please!"

English Revised Version
But they say, There is no hope: for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"But they will answer, 'It's useless! We'll live the way we want to. We'll go our own stubborn, evil ways.'

Good News Translation
They will answer, 'No, why should we? We will all be just as stubborn and evil as we want to be.'"

International Standard Version
But they'll say, 'It's useless! We will follow our plans and each of us will pursue his own evil desires.'

Majority Standard Bible
But they will reply, ‘It is hopeless. We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

NET Bible
But 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!'"

New Heart English Bible
But they say, 'It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

World English Bible
But they say, ‘It is in vain; for we will walk after our own plans, and we will each follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they have said, “It is incurable, "" For we go after our own plans, "" And each of us does the stubbornness of his evil heart.”

Young's Literal Translation
And they have said, It is incurable, For after our own devices we do go, And each the stubbornness of his evil heart we do.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they said, We shall despair; for after our purposes we will go, and we will do each the stubbornness of his evil heart.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said: We have no hopes: for we will go after our own thoughts, and we will do every one according to the perverseness of his evil heart.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they said: “We have lost hope. And so we will follow our own thoughts, and each of us will act according to the depravity of his own evil heart.”

New American Bible
But they will say, “No use! We will follow our own devices; each one of us will behave according to the stubbornness of our evil hearts!”

New Revised Standard Version
But they say, “It is no use! We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil will.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But they said, We shall become strong and we will walk after our own devices and we will every man do the imagination of his evil heart.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And those said: “We will be strong, and we will go after our thoughts, and we shall do, each man, the pleasures of his evil heart!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But they say: There is no hope; but we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they said, We will quit ourselves like men, for we will pursue our perverse ways, and we will perform each the lusts of his evil heart.
Audio Bible



Context
The Potter and the Clay
11Now therefore, tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I am planning a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways, and correct your ways and deeds.’ 12But they will reply, ‘It is hopeless. We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’” 13Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Inquire among the nations: Who has ever heard things like these? Virgin Israel has done a most terrible thing.…

Cross References
Isaiah 30:1
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin.

Isaiah 65:2
All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people who walk in the wrong path, who follow their own imaginations,

Ezekiel 3:7
But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.

Ezekiel 33:31
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.

Zechariah 7:11-12
But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. / They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts.

Proverbs 1:24-25
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, / because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,

Proverbs 29:1
A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.

2 Kings 17:14
But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God.

Nehemiah 9:29
You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

Psalm 81:11-12
But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me. / So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

Romans 2:5
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 10:21
But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. / So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.


Treasury of Scripture

And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

There.

Jeremiah 2:25
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

2 Kings 6:33
And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

Isaiah 57:10
Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

we will walk.

Jeremiah 3:17
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

Jeremiah 7:24
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

Jeremiah 11:8
Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.

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Jeremiah 18
1. Under the type of a potter is shown God's absolute power in disposing of nations.
11. Judgments threatened to Judah for her strange revolt.
18. Jeremiah prays against his conspirators.














But they will reply
This phrase indicates a response from the people to God's message delivered through Jeremiah. The Hebrew root for "reply" is "עָנָה" (anah), which means to answer or respond. This response is not just verbal but reflects a deep-seated attitude of defiance. Historically, this reflects the period of Judah's rebellion against God's covenant, where the people consistently rejected prophetic warnings.

It is no use
The phrase conveys a sense of hopelessness or futility. The Hebrew word "יָאָשׁ" (ya'ash) implies giving up or despairing. This reflects a spiritual resignation, where the people see no point in changing their ways. In the broader scriptural context, this attitude is a tragic acknowledgment of their unwillingness to repent, despite knowing the consequences.

We will continue with our own plans
Here, the phrase underscores a deliberate choice to persist in self-determined paths. The Hebrew "מַחֲשָׁבוֹת" (machashavot) for "plans" suggests thoughts, intentions, or schemes. This highlights the people's preference for their wisdom over divine guidance. Historically, this reflects the era's cultural and religious syncretism, where God's commands were often sidelined for personal or political agendas.

each of us will follow
This phrase emphasizes individual responsibility and collective rebellion. The Hebrew "הָלַךְ" (halak) means to walk or follow a path. It signifies a conscious decision to pursue a particular lifestyle. Scripturally, this reflects the biblical theme of free will, where each person is accountable for their choices.

the stubbornness of his evil heart
The word "stubbornness" comes from the Hebrew "שְׁרִרוּת" (sherirut), meaning hardness or obstinacy. "Evil heart" uses "לֵב רַע" (lev ra), indicating a morally corrupt inner being. This phrase captures the essence of human rebellion against God, a recurring theme in the Bible. The heart, in Hebrew thought, is the center of will and emotion, and its corruption signifies a deep spiritual malaise. Historically, this reflects the period's moral decline, where idolatry and injustice were rampant.

(12) And they said.--Better, But they say, as of continued action. This was the ever-recurring answer (see Note on Jeremiah 2:25) which they made to the prophet's pleas. It was the answer of defiance rather than of despair. "There is no hope, you need not hope, that we will do as you bid us. We will go on our way, and walk after our own devices."

Imagination.--Better, as elsewhere, stubbornness.

Verse 12. - And they said; rather, But they go on saying (comp. Ezekiel 33:17, 20). There is no hope. The rendering may be easily misunderstood. The speakers are not, as we might suppose, despondent about their state and prospects, but they seek to check the troublesome preacher by the warning that he has no chance of success (so Jeremiah 2:25). Imagination; rather, stubbornness (as constantly).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But they will reply,
וְאָמְר֖וּ (wə·’ā·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘It is hopeless.
נוֹאָ֑שׁ (nō·w·’āš)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2976: To desist, to despond

We will follow
נֵלֵ֔ךְ (nê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

our own plans,
מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ (maḥ·šə·ḇō·w·ṯê·nū)
Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 4284: A contrivance, a texture, machine, intention, plan

and each of us
וְאִ֛ישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

will act
נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (na·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

according to the stubbornness
שְׁרִר֥וּת (šə·ri·rūṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8307: Firmness, stubbornness

of his evil
הָרָ֖ע (hā·rā‘)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

heart.’”
לִבּֽוֹ־ (lib·bōw-)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 18:12 But they say It is in vain (Jer.)
Jeremiah 18:11
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