Jeremiah 18; Jeremiah 19; 2 Timothy 3

1 The LORD spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said,

2 "Go to the potter's house. There I will give you my message."

3 I went to the potter's house, and he was working there at his wheel.

4 Whenever a clay pot he was working on was ruined, he would rework it into a new clay pot the way he wanted to make it.

5 The LORD spoke his word to me. The LORD asked,

6 "Nation of Israel, can't I do with you as this potter does with clay? Nation of Israel, you are like the clay in the potter's hands.

7 "At one time I may threaten to tear up, break down, and destroy a nation or a kingdom.

8 But suppose the nation that I threatened turns away from doing wrong. Then I will change my plans about the disaster I planned to do to it.

9 "At another time I may promise to build and plant a nation or a kingdom.

10 But suppose that nation does what I consider evil and doesn't obey me. Then I will change my plans about the good that I promised to do to it.

11 "Now say to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem, 'This is what the LORD says: I'm going to prepare a disaster and make plans against you. Turn from your evil ways, change your lives, and do good.'

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

13 "This is what the LORD says: Ask among the nations if anyone has ever heard anything like this. The people of Israel have done a very horrible thing.

14 The rocky slopes of Lebanon are never without snow. The cool mountain streams never dry up.

15 But my people have forgotten me. They burn incense as an offering to worthless idols, and they stumble along the way, on the ancient path. They go on side roads and not on major highways.

16 Their land will become desolate and something to be hissed at forever. Everyone who will pass by it will be stunned and shake his head.

17 Like the east wind I will scatter them in front of the enemy. On the day of their disaster, I will show them my back, not my face."

18 Then they said, "Let's plot against Jeremiah, because the teachings of the priests, the advice of wise people, and the word of the prophets won't disappear. Accuse him! Pay no attention to anything he says."

19 Pay attention to me, O LORD, and listen to what my accusers say.

20 Good should not be paid back with evil. They dig a pit to take my life. Remember how I stood in your presence and pleaded for them in order to turn your anger away from them.

21 Now, hand their children over to famine. Pour out their [blood] by using your sword. Then their wives will become childless widows. Their husbands will be put to death. Their young men will be struck down in battle.

22 Make them cry out from their homes when you suddenly send troops against them, because they dug a pit to catch me and hid snares for my feet.

23 But you, O LORD, know that they plan to kill me. Don't forgive their crimes. Don't wipe their sins out of your sight. Make them stumble in your presence. Deal with them when you get angry.

1 This is what the LORD says: Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take along some of the leaders of the people and some of the leaders of the priests.

2 Go to the valley of Ben Hinnom at the entrance to Potsherd Gate. Announce there the things I plan to do.

3 Say, "Listen to the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I'm going to bring such a disaster on this place that the ears of everyone who hears about it will ring.

4 "The people, their ancestors, and the kings of Judah have abandoned me. They have made this place unrecognizable by burning incense as an offering to other gods that they hadn't heard of. They have filled this place with the blood of innocent people.

5 They have built worship sites to burn their children as sacrifices to Baal. I didn't ask them or command them to do this. It never entered my mind.

6 "That is why the days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben Hinnom. Instead, it will be called Slaughter Valley.

7 I will smash the plans of Judah and Jerusalem in this place. I will cut them down with swords in front of their enemies and with the hands of those who want to kill them. I will give their bodies as food to birds and to animals.

8 I will devastate this city. It will become something to hiss at. Everyone who goes by it will be stunned and hiss with contempt at all the disasters that happen to it.

9 I will make the people eat the flesh of their sons and daughters. They will eat each other's flesh during blockades and hardships that their enemies impose on them when they want to kill them."

10 [The LORD says,] "Then smash the jar in front of the men who went with you.

11 Say to them, 'This is what the LORD of Armies says: I will smash these people and this city as this potter's jar was smashed beyond repair. They will bury [the dead] in Topheth until there's no other place to bury them.

12 That's what I will do to this place and to those who live in it, declares the LORD. I will make this city like Topheth.

13 The houses in Jerusalem, the houses of the kings of Judah, and all the rooftops of the houses will be unclean like this city Topheth. This is because people burned incense to the entire army of heaven and poured out wine offerings to other gods.'"

14 Then Jeremiah left Topheth, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy. He stood in the courtyard of the LORD's temple and said to all the people,

15 "This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I'm going to bring on this city and on all its towns the disasters that I threatened. They've become impossible to deal with, and they refuse to obey me."

1 You must understand this: In the last days there will be violent periods of time.

2 People will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant, and use abusive language. They will curse their parents, show no gratitude, have no respect for what is holy,

3 and lack normal affection for their families. They will refuse to make peace with anyone. They will be slanderous, lack self-control, be brutal, and have no love for what is good.

4 They will be traitors. They will be reckless and conceited. They will love pleasure rather than God.

5 They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people.

6 Some of these men go into homes and mislead weak-minded women who are burdened with sins and led by all kinds of desires.

7 These women are always studying but are never able to recognize the truth.

8 As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and the faith they teach is counterfeit.

9 Certainly, they won't get very far. Like the stupidity of Jannes and Jambres, their stupidity will be plain to everyone.

10 But you know all about my teachings, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.

11 You also know about the kind of persecutions and sufferings which happened to me in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions, and the Lord rescued me from all of them.

12 Those who try to live a godly life because they believe in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

13 But evil people and phony preachers will go from bad to worse as they mislead people and are themselves misled.

14 However, continue in what you have learned and found to be true. You know who your teachers were.

15 From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval.

17 They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.