Jeremiah 20:8-10

Easy-to-Read Version

⁸ Every time I speak, I shout.
    I am always shouting about violence and destruction.
I tell the people about the message that I received from the Lord.
    But they only insult me and make fun of me.
⁹ Sometimes I say to myself, “I will forget about him.
    I will not speak anymore in his name.”
But when I say that, his message is like a fire burning inside me!
    It feels like it is burning deep in my bones!
I get tired of trying to hold his message inside.
    And finally, I am not able to hold it in.
¹⁰ I hear people whispering against me.
    Everywhere, I hear things that frighten me.
    Even my friends are speaking against me.
People are just waiting for me to make a mistake.
    They are saying, “Let us lie and say that he did something bad.
Maybe we can trick Jeremiah.
    Then we will have him.
    We will finally be rid of him.
Then we will grab him
    and take our revenge on him.”