| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1The LORD said to Jeremiah: | 1The message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: |
| 2"Go down at once to the potter's house. I will speak to you further there." | 2"Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I'll allow you to hear my words." |
| 3So I went down to the potter's house and found him working at his wheel. | 3So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was doing work at the potter's wheel. |
| 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. | 4But the vessel he was working on with the clay was ruined in the potter's hand. So he remade it into another vessel that seemed appropriate to him. |
| 5Then the LORD said to me, | 5Then this message from the LORD came to me: |
| 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.' | 6"Israel, can't I deal with you like this potter?" declares the LORD. "Look, Israel, like clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand. |
| 7There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. | 7At one moment I may speak about a nation or a kingdom to uproot it, pull it down, or destroy it. |
| 8But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. | 8But if that nation about which I spoke turns from its evil way, I'll change my mind about the disaster that I had planned for it. |
| 9And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. | 9At another moment I may speak about a nation or kingdom to build it or plant 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. | 10But if that nation does evil in my eyes by not obeying me, I'll change my mind about the good that I said I would bring on it. |
| 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.' | 11"Now say to the people of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem, 'This is what the LORD says: "Look, I'm designing a disaster just for you, and I'm making plans against you. Each one of you must repent from his evil way. Make your ways and deeds right."' |
| 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!'" | 12But they'll say, 'It's useless! We will follow our plans and each of us will pursue his own evil desires.' |
| 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! | 13"Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'Ask the nations. Who has ever heard of anything like this? You have done a most horrible thing, virgin Israel. |
| 14Does the snow ever completely vanish from the rocky slopes of Lebanon? Do the cool waters from those distant mountains ever cease to flow? | 14Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Or does the cold water from a foreign land ever cease to flow? |
| 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. | 15Yet my people have forgotten me, and they burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their journey on the ancient paths. They walk on trails, on a way that is not built up. |
| 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. | 16They make their land into a desolate place, an object of lasting scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will shake their heads. |
| 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." | 17Like the east wind, I'll scatter them before the enemy. I'll show them my back and not my face, on the day of their downfall.'" |
| 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." | 18Then they said, "Come, let's make up a plot against Jeremiah. After all, the priest's instruction, the wise man's counsel, and the prophet's message won't be destroyed. So let's verbally attack him. Pay no attention to anything he says!" |
| 19Then I said, "LORD, pay attention to me. Listen to what my enemies are saying. | 19LORD, pay attention to me. Listen to the voice of my accusers! |
| 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. | 20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit to take my life. Remember! I stood before you and spoke good on their behalf in order to turn your wrath away from them. |
| 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. | 21Therefore, make their children undergo famine, and deliver them over to death in time of war. May their women be childless widows! May their men be slaughtered! May their young men be slain by the sword in battle! |
| 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. | 22Let a cry be heard from their houses because you have brought a raiding party against them suddenly. For they have dug a pit to capture me and have set traps for my feet. |
| 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! | 23But you, LORD, know all their plots to kill me. Don't forgive their iniquity, and don't erase their sin from your sight. Let them stumble before you. When it's time for you to be angry, act against them! |
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