*Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of athe elders which were carried away captives, and bto the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; 2 (After that cdJeconiah the king, and cethe queen, and cthe ||eunuchs, dthe princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and dthe carpenters, and dthe smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) 3 By the hand of Elasah the son of fShaphan, and Gemariah the son of gHilkiah, h(whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 5 iBuild ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and kpray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and lyour diviners, that be in the midst of you, mdeceive you, neither hearken to lyour dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 n*For they prophesy †falsely unto you in my name: nI have not sent them, saith the Lord. 10 For thus saith the Lord, That oafter seventy years be accomplished at Babylon pI will visit you, and qperform my good word toward you, pqin causing you to return to this place.