Jeremiah Threatened With Death

26 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim^(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: ² “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard^(B) 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.^(C) Tell^(D) them everything I command you; do not omit^(E) a word. ³ Perhaps they will listen and each will turn^(F) from their evil ways. Then I will relent^(G) and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. ⁴ Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen^(H) to me and follow my law,^(I) which I have set before you, ⁵ and 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^(J)), ⁶ then I will make this house like Shiloh^(K) and this city a curse^[a](L) among all the nations of the earth.’”

⁷ The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. ⁸ But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded^(M) him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized^(N) him and said, “You must die!^{(O) 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?”^(P) And all the people crowded^(Q) around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

¹⁰ When the officials^(R) 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^(S) of the Lord’s house. ¹¹ Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death^(T) because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”^(U)

¹² Then Jeremiah said to all the officials^(V) and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy^(W) against this house and this city all the things you have heard.^{(X) 13} Now reform^(Y) your ways and your actions and obey^(Z) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent^(AA) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. ¹⁴ As for me, I am in your hands;^(AB) do with me whatever you think is good and right. ¹⁵ Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood^(AC) 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^(AD) in your hearing.”

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

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!^(A) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham,^(B) from the tribe of Benjamin.^{(C) 2} God did not reject his people,^(D) whom he foreknew.^(E) Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”^[a]?^{(F) 4} And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^{[b](G) 5} So too, at the present time there is a remnant^(H) chosen by grace.^{(I) 6} And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;^(J) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

⁷ What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain.^(K) The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,^{(L) 8} as it is written:

⁹ And David says:

Ingrafted Branches

¹¹ Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!^(Q) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles^(R) to make Israel envious.^{(S) 12} But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,^(T) how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided.^{(A) 20} Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed^(B) and raving mad.^(C) Why listen to him?”

²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.^(D) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(E)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(F) 24} The Jews^(G) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”^(H)

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you,^(I) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,^{(J) 26} but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.^{(K) 27} My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,^(L) and they follow me.^{(M) 28} I give them eternal life,^(N) and they shall never perish;^(O) no one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(P) 29} My Father, who has given them to me,^(Q) is greater than all^[b];^(R) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(S)

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,^{(T) 32} but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”^(U)

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,^(V) ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[c]?^{(W) 35} If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God^(X) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside^(Y)— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart^(Z) as his very own^(AA) and sent into the world?^(AB) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(AC) 37} Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.^{(AD) 38} But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”^{(AE) 39} Again they tried to seize him,^(AF) but he escaped their grasp.^(AG)

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan^(AH) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,^(AI) all that John said about this man was true.”^{(AJ) 42} And in that place many believed in Jesus.^(AK)