¹¹ Now Zedekiah^(A) son of Kenaanah had made iron horns^(B) and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”

A Linen Belt

13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” ² So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

³ Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:^{(A) 4} “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath^[a](B) and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” ⁵ So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.^(C)

⁶ Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” ⁷ So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride^(D) of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ These wicked people, who refuse to listen^(E) to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts^(F) and go after other gods^(G) to serve and worship them,^(H) will be like this belt—completely useless!^{(I) 11} For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown^(J) and praise and honor.^(K) But they have not listened.’^(L)

¹⁹ and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged^(A) and crucified.^(B) On the third day^(C) he will be raised to life!”^(D)

²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me^(A) that prison and hardships are facing me.^(B)

³³ The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound^(A) with two^(B) chains.^(C) Then he asked who he was and what he had done.