The Daily Audio Bible

Jeremiah in Prison

37 Zedekiah the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, ruled in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. ² But he and his servants and the people of the land would not listen to what the Lord said through Jeremiah the man of God.

³ King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the religious leader, to Jeremiah the man of God, saying, “Pray to the Lord our God for us.” ⁴ Now Jeremiah was still free to come and go among the people, for they had not yet put him in prison. ⁵ The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt. And when the Babylonian army which had been around Jerusalem heard the news about them, they left Jerusalem.

⁶ Then the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the man of God, saying, ⁷ “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ask Me what will happen, “See, Pharaoh’s army which has come to help you is going to return to its own land of Egypt. ⁸ Then the Babylonians will return and fight against this city. They will take it and burn it with fire.”’ ⁹ The Lord says, ‘Do not fool yourselves, saying, “For sure the Babylonians will go away from us.” For they will not go. ¹⁰ Even if you had won the battle against the whole Babylonian army fighting with you, and only men who were hurt were left in their tents, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

¹¹ Now the Babylonian army had left Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army. ¹² And so Jeremiah left Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to take his land there among the people. ¹³ While he was at the Gate of Benjamin, a soldier was there watching. His name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah. He took hold of Jeremiah the man of God, saying, “You are going over to the Babylonians!” ¹⁴ But Jeremiah said, “It is a lie! I am not going over to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not listen to him. He took hold of Jeremiah and brought him to the leaders. ¹⁵ The leaders were angry with Jeremiah and beat him. They put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the writer, which they had made into a prison.

¹⁶ After Jeremiah had been in an under-ground prison many days, ¹⁷ King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought to his house. The king asked him in secret, “Is there any word from the Lord?” And Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he said, “You will be given over to the king of Babylon!” ¹⁸ Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you or your servants, or against these people? Why have you put me in prison? ¹⁹ Where are your men who spoke to you in God’s name, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’? ²⁰ But now I ask you to listen, O my lord the king. Hear what I ask, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the writer, or I will die there.” ²¹ So King Zedekiah had them put Jeremiah in the open space of the prison. And a loaf of bread was given to him every day from the bread makers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the open space of the prison.

Jeremiah in a Dry Water Well

38 Now Shaphatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard Jeremiah telling all the people, ² “The Lord says, ‘He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by hunger and by disease. But he who goes over to the Babylonians will live. He will get away with his life and live.’ ³ The Lord says, ‘For sure this city will be given to the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.’” ⁴ Then the leaders said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death. For he is making the hearts of the men of war weak who are left in this city, and of all the people, by saying such words to them. This man does not care about the well-being of these people, but instead wants them hurt.” ⁵ So King Zedekiah said, “He is in your hands. The king can do nothing against you.” ⁶ So they took Jeremiah and put him into the well of Malchijah the king’s son, in the open space of the prison, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the well, but only mud. And Jeremiah went down into the mud. ⁷ But Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian servant of the king who had been made so he could not have children, heard in the king’s house that they had put Jeremiah into the well. Now the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin. ⁸ And Ebedmelech went from the king’s house and said to him, ⁹ “My lord the king, these men have been very sinful in all they have done to Jeremiah the man of God. They have put him in the well. And he will die there of hunger, for there is no more bread in the city.” ¹⁰ Then the king told Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “I am giving you the power to take thirty men with you, and bring Jeremiah the man of God up from the well before he dies.” ¹¹ So Ebed-melech as the leader took the men with him and went into the king’s house to a place under the store-room. He took from there old pieces of cloth and worn-out clothes and let them down by ropes to Jeremiah in the well. ¹² Then Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the clothes and pieces of cloth between your arms and the ropes,” and Jeremiah did so. ¹³ Then they pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and lifted him out of the well. And Jeremiah stayed in the open space of the prison.

Zedekiah Asks Jeremiah about Future Happenings

¹⁴ King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the man of God and had him brought to him at the third door of the house of the Lord. And the king said to him, “I am going to ask you something. Do not hide anything from me.” ¹⁵ Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not kill me? Even if I speak wise words to you, you will not listen to me.” ¹⁶ But King Zedekiah promised Jeremiah in secret, “As the Lord lives, Who gave us life, for sure I will not kill you or give you over to these men who want to kill you.”

¹⁷ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord God of All, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the captains of the king of Babylon, then you will live. This city will not be burned with fire, and you and those of your house will live. ¹⁸ But if you will not go out to the captains of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given to the Babylonians. They will burn it with fire, and you will not get away from them.’” ¹⁹ King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Babylonians. I am afraid I will be given over to them, and that they will make it hard for me.” ²⁰ But Jeremiah said, “They will not give you to them. Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you and you will live. ²¹ But if you will not go out, this is the word which the Lord has shown me: ²² ‘All of the women left in the house of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the captains of the king of Babylon. And these women will say, “Your trusted friends have lied to you and have become stronger than you. Now when your feet have gone down into the mud, they turn away from you.” ²³ All your wives and your sons will be led out to the Babylonians. And you yourself will not get away from them. The king of Babylon will take hold of you, and this city will be burned with fire.’”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no one know about these words and you will not die. ²⁵ The leaders might hear that I have talked with you, and come and say to you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king, and what the king said to you. Do not hide it from us, and we will not kill you.’ ²⁶ Then you must tell them, ‘I was asking the king not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.’” ²⁷ All the leaders did come to Jeremiah to ask him questions. So he said to them everything the king had told him to say. And they stopped speaking with him, because the words he and the king had spoken together had not been heard by anyone else. ²⁸ So Jeremiah stayed in the open space of the prison until the day Jerusalem was taken.

Teaching About Christians Who Were Servants

6 All you Christians who are servants must respect your owners and work hard for them. Do not let the name of God and our teaching be spoken against because of poor work. ² Those who have Christian owners must respect their owners because they are Christian brothers. They should work hard for them because much-loved Christian brothers are being helped by their work. Teach and preach these things.

Live Like God Wants You to Live

³ Someone may teach something else. He may not agree with the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. He may not teach you to live God-like lives. ⁴ Such a person is full of pride and knows nothing. He wastes time on questions and argues about things that are not important. This makes those he teaches jealous and they want to fight. They talk bad and have bad ideas about others. ⁵ Men who are not able to use their minds in the right way because of sin argue all the time. They do not have the truth. They think religion is a way to get much for themselves.

⁶ A God-like life gives us much when we are happy for what we have. ⁷ We came into this world with nothing. For sure, when we die, we will take nothing with us. ⁸ If we have food and clothing, let us be happy. ⁹ But men who want lots of money are tempted. They are trapped into doing all kinds of foolish things and things which hurt them. These things drag them into sin and will destroy them. ¹⁰ The love of money is the beginning of all kinds of sin. Some people have turned from the faith because of their love for money. They have made much pain for themselves because of this.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But you, man of God, turn away from all these sinful things. Work at being right with God. Live a God-like life. Have faith and love. Be willing to wait. Have a kind heart. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the life that lasts forever. You were chosen to receive it. You have spoken well about this life in front of many people.

¹³ I tell you this before God Who gives life to all people and before Jesus Christ Who spoke well in front of Pontius Pilate. ¹⁴ You must do all our Lord Jesus Christ said so no one can speak against you. Do this until He comes again. ¹⁵ At the right time, we will be shown that God is the One Who has all power. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁶ He can never die. He lives in a light so bright that no man can go near Him. No man has ever seen God or can see Him. Honor and power belong to Him forever. Let it be so.

Paul’s Last Words to Timothy

¹⁷ Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money. Money cannot be trusted. They should put their trust in God. He gives us all we need for our happiness. ¹⁸ Tell them to do good and be rich in good works. They should give much to those in need and be ready to share. ¹⁹ Then they will be gathering together riches for themselves. These good things are what they will build on for the future. Then they will have the only true life!

²⁰ Timothy, keep safe what God has trusted you with. Turn away from foolish talk. Do not argue with those who think they know so much. They know less than they think they do. ²¹ Some people have gone after much learning. It has proved to be false and they have turned away from the faith. May you have God’s loving-favor.

³⁸ But You have thrown off and turned away from Your chosen one. You have been full of anger against him. ³⁹ You have hated the agreement with Your servant. You have made his crown dirty in the dust. ⁴⁰ You have broken down all his walls. You have destroyed his strong places. ⁴¹ All who pass on the road rob him. He has become a shame to his neighbors. ⁴² You have honored the right hand of those who fight against him. You have made all who hate him glad. ⁴³ You have turned away the sharp part of his sword. And You have not made him stand in a fight. ⁴⁴ You have put an end to what shows of his greatness, and have thrown his throne to the ground. ⁴⁵ You have made him old before his time, and have covered him with shame.

⁴⁶ How long, O Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your anger burn like fire? ⁴⁷ Remember how fast my life is passing. You have made all men for nothing. ⁴⁸ What man can live and not see death? Can he save himself from the power of the grave?

⁴⁹ O Lord, where is the loving-kindness You used to have, that You promised in faith to David? ⁵⁰ O Lord, remember the shame of those who work for You. Remember how I carry near my heart the shame of all the nations. ⁵¹ Those who hate You have put us to shame, O Lord. They have put to shame the footsteps of Your chosen one.

⁵² Praise the Lord forever! Let it be so.

²⁸ A man who cannot rule his own spirit is like a city whose walls are broken down.