Jeremiah 27:8–15

⁸“ ‘ “As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague—this is the Lord’s declaration—until through him I have destroyed it. ⁹So you should not listen to your prophets, diviners,^m dreamers, fortune-tellers,ⁿ or sorcerers^o who say to you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon!’ ¹⁰They are prophesying a lie^p to you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish. ¹¹But as for the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in its own land, and that nation will cultivate^E it and reside in it. This is the Lord’s declaration.” ’ ”

WARNING TO ZEDEKIAH

¹²I spoke to King Zedekiah of Judah^q in the same way: “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live! ¹³Why should you and your people die^r by the sword, famine, and plague as the Lord has threatened against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying a lie to you.^{s 15}‘I have not sent them’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘and they are prophesying falsely in my name; therefore, I will banish you, and you will perish—you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.’ ”