New International Version NIV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
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This word came to Yirmeyahu from ADONAI:
2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”
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"Get up, and go down to the potter's house; there I will tell you more."
3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel.
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So I went down to the house of the potter; and there he was, working at the wheels.
4 But 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.
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Whenever a pot he made came out imperfect, the potter took the clay and made another pot with it, in whatever shape suited him.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me.
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Then the word of ADONAI came to me:
6 He 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.
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"House of Isra'el, can't I deal with you as the potter deals with his clay? - says ADONAI. Look! You, house of Isra'el, are the same in my hand as the clay in the potter's hand.
7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed,
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At one time, I may speak about uprooting, breaking down and destroying a nation or kingdom;
8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.
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but if that nation turns from their evil, which prompted me to speak against it, then I relent concerning the disaster I had planned to inflict on it.
9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted,
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Similarly, at another time, I may speak about building and planting a nation or kingdom;
10 and 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.
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but if it behaves wickedly from my perspective and doesn't listen to what I say, then I change my mind and don't do the good I said I would do that would have helped it.
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.’
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"So now, tell the people of Y'hudah and those living in Yerushalayim that this is what ADONAI says: 'I am designing disaster for you, working out my plan against you. Turn, each of you, from his evil ways; improve your conduct and actions.'
12 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.’ ”
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"But they will answer, 'It's hopeless! We will stick to our own plans; each of us will stubbornly follow his own evil desires!'
13 Therefore 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.
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"Therefore, ADONAI says this: 'Ask among the nations who has heard anything like this. The virgin Isra'el has done a most horrible thing.
14 Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources ever stop flowing?
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Does the snow of the L'vanon disappear from the mountain crags? Do the cold waters of foreign lands ever run dry?
15 Yet 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.
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No, but my people have forgotten me and offer incense to nothings. This causes them to stumble as they walk the ancient paths; they leave the highway to walk on side-trails.
16 Their land will be an object of horror and of lasting scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and will shake their heads.
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Thus they make their land an object of horror and ongoing ridicule. Passers-by shake their heads, appalled, every one.
17 Like 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.”
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Like a strong east wind, I will scatter them before the enemy. I will see their back, not their face, on their day of disaster.'"
18 They 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.”
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Then they said, "Let's develop a plan for dealing with Yirmeyahu. Torah won't be lost from the cohanim, or counsel from the wise, or words from the prophets. So come, let's destroy him with slander; and meanwhile, we won't pay attention to anything he says."
19 Listen to me, LORD; hear what my accusers are saying!
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Pay attention to me, ADONAI! Listen to what my opponents are saying!
20 Should 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.
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Is good to be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit [to trap] me. Remember how I stood before you and spoke well of them, in order to turn your anger away from them?
21 So 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.
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Therefore, hand their sons over to famine, hurl them into the power of the sword, let their wives be made childless and widows, let their husbands be slain by disease, let their young men be slain by the sword in battle,
22 Let 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.
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let screams be heard from their houses when you bring raiders on them without warning. For they have dug a pit to catch me and have laid snares for my feet.
23 But 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.
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Nevertheless, ADONAI, you know all their plans against me to stop me. Do not forgive their crime, do not blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be made to stumble before you; deal with them when you are angry.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.