<p class="poetry">I will certainly punish them for doing such things!&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this!<n id="1" />p>

Then you come and stand in my presence in this temple I have claimed as my own<n id="1" /> and say, &#8220;We are safe!&#8221; You think you are so safe that you go on doing all those hateful sins!<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Then the <sc>Lordsc> said to me,<n id="1" /> &#8220;When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you. When you call out to them, they will not respond to you.

<p class="poetry">I will certainly punish them for doing such things!&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will certainly bring retribution on such a nation as this!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc>, who is the inheritance<n id="1" /> of Jacob&#8217;s descendants,<n id="2" /> is not like them.p> <p class="poetry">He is the one who created everything.p> <p class="poetry">And the people of Israel are those he claims as his own.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">He is known as the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

As you stand in those places<n id="1" /> announce, &#8216;Listen, all you people who pass through these gates. Listen, all you kings of Judah, all you people of Judah and all you citizens of Jerusalem. Listen to what the <sc>Lordsc> says.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Therefore, the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Ask the people of other nationsp> <p class="poetry">whether they have heard of anything like this.p> <p class="poetry">Israel should have been like a virgin.p> <p class="poetry">But she has done something utterly revolting!p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now Pashhur son of Immer heard Jeremiah prophesy these things. He was the priest who was chief of security<n id="1" /> in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

Say: &#8216;Listen, O king of Judah who follows in David&#8217;s succession.<n id="1" /> You, your officials, and your subjects who pass through the gates of this palace must listen to what the <sc>Lordsc> says.<n id="2" />

But, if you do not obey these commands, I solemnly swear<n id="1" /> that this palace will become a pile of rubble. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

This whole area<n id="1" /> will become a desolate wasteland. These nations will be subject to the king of Babylon for seventy years.&#8217;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these things in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

<p class="bodytext">However, some of the officials<n id="1" /> of Judah heard about what was happening<n id="2" /> and they rushed up to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple from the royal palace. They set up court<n id="3" /> at the entrance of the New Gate of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.<n id="4" />

<p class="poetry">Why do you complain about your injuries,p> <p class="poetry">that your pain is incurable?p> <p class="poetry">I have done all this to youp> <p class="poetry">because your wickedness is so greatp> <p class="poetry">and your sin is so much.p>

<p class="poetry">I will say,<n id="1" /> &#8216;My dear children of Israel,<n id="2" /> keep in mindp> <p class="poetry">the road you took when you were carried off.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Mark off in your minds the landmarks.p> <p class="poetry">Make a mental note of telltale signs marking the way back.p> <p class="poetry">Return, my dear children of Israel.p> <p class="poetry">Return to these cities of yours.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> affirms,<n id="1" /> &#8220;The descendants of Israel will notp> <p class="poetry">cease forever to be a nation in my sight.p> <p class="poetry">That could only happen if the fixed ordering of the heavenly lightsp> <p class="poetry">were to cease to operate before me.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

Then they asked Baruch, &#8220;How did you come to write all these words? Do they actually come from Jeremiah&#8217;s mouth?&#8221;<n id="1" />

Baruch answered, &#8220;Yes, they came from his own mouth. He dictated all these words to me and I wrote them down in ink on this scroll.&#8221;<n id="1" />

Neither he nor any of his attendants showed any alarm when they heard all that had been read. Nor did they tear their clothes to show any grief or sorrow.<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc>, who is the portion of the descendants of Jacob, is not like them.p> <p class="poetry">For he is the one who created everything,p> <p class="poetry">including the people of Israel whom he claims as his own.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He is known as the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all.<n id="2" />p>