They do one act of violence after another, and one deceitful thing after another. They refuse to pay attention to me,” says the Lord.

The Lord says, “Watch out! The time is soon coming when I will punish all those who are circumcised only in the flesh.

You people of Israel, listen to what the Lord has to say to you.

Lord, we know that people do not control their own destiny. It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them.

The Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem have plotted rebellion against me!

My people will sow wheat, but will harvest weeds. They will work until they are exhausted, but will get nothing from it. They will be disappointed in their harvests because the Lord will take them away in his fierce anger.

But I will completely uproot and destroy any of those nations that will not pay heed,’” says the Lord.

“I, the Lord, say: ‘This shows how I will ruin the highly exalted position in which Judah and Jerusalem take pride.

This is your fate, the destiny to which I have appointed you, because you have forgotten me and have trusted in false gods.

The Lord spoke to Jeremiah about the drought.

Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for good to come to these people!

I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

Listen to what they are saying to me. They are saying, “Where are the things the Lord threatens us with? Come on! Let’s see them happen!”

The Lord told Jeremiah, “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take with you some of the leaders of the people and some of the leaders of the priests.

I, the Lord, say: ‘That is how I will deal with this city and its citizens. I will make it like Topheth.

Lord, you coerced me into being a prophet, and I allowed you to do it. You overcame my resistance and prevailed over me. Now I have become a constant laughingstock. Everyone ridicules me.

Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers.

But I will punish you as your deeds deserve,’ says the Lord. ‘I will set fire to your palace; it will burn up everything around it.’”

The Lord told me, “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah. Give him a message from me there.

The answer will come back, “It is because they broke their covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped and served other gods.”