Jeremiah 26:1–16

Jeremiah Threatened With Death

26Early in the reign of Jehoiakim^h son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: ²“This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyardⁱ of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord.^j Tell^k them everything I command you; do not omit^l a word. ³Perhaps they will listen and each will turn^m from their evil ways. Then I will relentⁿ and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. ⁴Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen^o to me and follow my law,^p which I have set before you, ⁵and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened^q), ⁶then I will make this house like Shiloh^r and this city a curse^as among all the nations of the earth.’ ”

⁷The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. ⁸But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded^t him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized^u him and said, “You must die!^{v 9}Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?”^w And all the people crowded^x around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

¹⁰When the officials^y of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate^z of the Lord’s house. ¹¹Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death^a because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”^b

¹²Then Jeremiah said to all the officials^c and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy^d against this house and this city all the things you have heard.^{e 13}Now reform^f your ways and your actions and obey^g the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent^h and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. ¹⁴As for me, I am in your hands;ⁱ do with me whatever you think is good and right. ¹⁵Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood^j on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words^k in your hearing.”

¹⁶Then the officials^l and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!^m He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”