| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1The LORD said to Jeremiah: | 1The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, |
| 2"Go down at once to the potter's house. I will speak to you further there." | 2“Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” |
| 3So I went down to the potter's house and found him working at his wheel. | 3So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his 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 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. |
| 5Then the LORD said to me, | 5Then the LORD gave me this message: |
| 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“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. |
| 7There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. | 7If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, |
| 8But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. | 8but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. |
| 9And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. | 9And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom, |
| 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 then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would. |
| 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“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.’” |
| 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 the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our 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! | 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! |
| 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 ever disappear from the mountaintops of Lebanon? Do the cold streams flowing from those distant mountains ever run dry? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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 |
| 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 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.” |
| 19Then I said, "LORD, pay attention to me. Listen to what my enemies are saying. | 19LORD, hear me and help me! Listen to what my enemies are saying. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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! |
| 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 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. |
| 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! | 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. |
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