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Surviving a Death Sentence
26 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from Adonai, saying, 2 thus says Adonai: “Stand in the court of Adonai’s House, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in Adonai’s House all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not omit a word! 3 Perhaps they will listen, and turn every man from his evil way, so I may relent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.”
4 Then you will say to them, thus says Adonai: “If you will not listen to Me, by walking in My Torah, which I have set before you, 5 and by listening to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you, early and often—but you have not listened— 6 then I will make this House like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.”
7 So the kohanim, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the House of Adonai.
8 Now when Jeremiah finished speaking all that Adonai had commanded him to speak to all the people, the kohanim and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying: “You will surely die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the Name of Adonai, saying, ‘This House will be like Shiloh, and this city will be an uninhabited ruin?’” Then all the people gathered against Jeremiah in the House of Adonai.
10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s palace to the House of Adonai, and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of Adonai’s House. 11 The kohanim and the prophets spoke to the princes and to all the people, saying: “A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and to all the people, saying: “Adonai sent me to prophesy all the words you have heard against this House and against this city. 13 So now, mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of Adonai your God; so Adonai will relent of the calamity that He has pronounced against you.
14 “But as for me, here I am in your hand; do with me as is good and right in your eyes. 15 Only know for certain that, if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants. For in truth Adonai has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”
16 Then said the princes and all the people to the kohanim and to the prophets: “No death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the Name of Adonai our God.”
17 Then some of the elders of the land rose up and addressed all the assembly of the people, saying: 18 “Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot:
‘Zion will be plowed as a field,
and Jerusalem will become ruins,
and the mountain of the House
as the high places of a forest.’
19 “Did King Hezekiah of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Didn’t he fear Adonai and plead for the favor of Adonai, and then Adonai relented of the calamity that He had pronounced against them? So we may be committing great evil against our own souls.”
20 Now there was a man who had prophesied in the Name of Adonai, Uriah son of Shemaiah of Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land words like all those of Jeremiah. 21 When King Jehoiakim with all his mighty men and all the princes heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt. 22 So King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt—Elnathan son of Achbor and some others with him— 23 and they brought Uriah back from Egypt, and led him to King Jehoiakim, who slew him with the sword and threw his corpse into the burial place of the common people.
24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they did not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
Jeremiah Wears a Yoke
27 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word to Jeremiah from Adonai, saying— 2 thus says Adonai to me—“Make straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck. 3 Then send such to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of Ammon’s children, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of messengers that come to Jerusalem to King Zedekiah of Judah. 4 Charge them to their masters, saying, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel, thus will you say to your masters: 5 ‘I have made the earth, mankind and beast which are on the face of the earth, by My great power and by My outstretched arm—and I give it to whom it seems right to Me. 6 So now I have given all these lands into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, My servant. I have even given the beasts of the field to serve him. 7 All the nations will serve him—and his son, and his grandson—until the time of his own land comes, and then many nations and great kings will make him their slave.’
8 “Now it will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve the same King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence,” declares Adonai, “until I have destroyed it by his hand. 9 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreams, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 For they prophesy a lie to you, in order to remove you far from your land, so that I would drive you out and you would perish.
11 “But the nation that will bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, that nation I will let remain in its land, and they will till it and dwell in it.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
12 Then I spoke to King Zedekiah of Judah with all these same words, saying: “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people—and live. 13 Why should you die—you and your people—by the sword, by famine, or by pestilence, as Adonai has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you.”
15 “For I have not sent them,” says Adonai, “and they prophesy falsely in My Name, with the result that I will drive you out, and that you will perish—you and the prophets that prophesy to you.”
16 Then I spoke to the kohanim and to all this people, saying, thus says Adonai: “Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying: ‘See, the vessels of Adonai’s House will now shortly be brought back from Babylon’—for they prophesy a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and live. Why should this city become a ruin? 18 But if they are prophets, and if the word of Adonai is with them, let them now make intercession to Adonai-Tzva’ot, that the vessels that are left in the House of Adonai, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, would not go to Babylon.”
19 For thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot concerning the pillars, the sea, the bases, and the rest of the vessels that remain in this city, 20 which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has not taken, when he carried away captive Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem, 21 yes, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the House of Adonai, in the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem: 22 “They will be brought to Babylon, and there will they be until the day that I take note of them”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“and bring them up and restore them to this place.”
3 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread quickly and be glorified—just as it is with you. 2 Also pray that we may be rescued from perverse and evil people, for not all are trustworthy. 3 But the Lord is trustworthy—and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will keep doing what we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Messiah.
No Time to Be Lazy
6 Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, to keep away from every brother who behaves irresponsibly and not according to the tradition they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, for we did not behave inappropriately among you. 8 And we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but worked night and day with labor and hardship, so as not to burden any of you. 9 It wasn’t that we had no right, but rather to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that some among you are behaving irresponsibly—not busy, but busybodies. 12 Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Messiah Yeshua to work in a quiet demeanor, so they may eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary of doing good.
14 If anyone does not obey our message in this letter, take special note of him and do not associate with him, so that he may be put to shame. 15 Yet do not consider him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Final Words
16 Now may the Lord of shalom Himself give you shalom at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all!
17 The greeting is in my own hand—Paul’s. It is a sign in every letter—in this way I write.[a]
18 The grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah be with you all.[b]
Restore Your People from Captivity
Psalm 85
1 For the music director, a psalm of the sons of Korah.
2 Adonai, will you favor Your land?
Will You restore Jacob from captivity?
3 Will You bear away Your people’s iniquity,
Will You pardon all their sin?[a] Selah
4 Will You withdraw all Your wrath?
Will You turn from Your burning anger?[b]
5 Restore us, O God of our salvation,
and renounce Your indignation with us.
6 Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger from generation to generation?
7 Will You not revive us again,
so Your people may rejoice in You?
8 Show us Your mercy, Adonai,
and grant us Your salvation.
9 Let me hear what God Adonai will say.
For He will speak shalom to His people, and to His kedoshim—
but let them not turn back to folly.
10 Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.
11 Lovingkindness and truth meet together.
Righteousness and shalom kiss each other.
12 Truth will spring up from the earth,
and justice will look down from heaven.
13 Yes, Adonai will give what is good,
and our land will yield its produce.
14 Righteousness is going before Him
and prepares a way for His feet.
Proverbs for Daily Life
16 When you find honey, eat just enough,
lest you are stuffed and vomit it.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.