Jeremiah 18
The Vessel Was Spoiled, and He Made It Again
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The Potter’s House
18:1The word that came from the Lord to Jeremiah, saying:
18:2Rise and go down to the potter’s house, and there you will hear My words.
18:3And I went down to the potter’s house, and look, he was doing work upon the stones.
18:4And the vessel he was making fell apart in his hands, and again he made it another vessel, as pleased him to make.
18:5And the Lord’s word came to me, saying:
18:6Can I not make you as this potter does, house of Israel? Look, you are like the potter’s clay in My hands.
How the Lord Deals with Nations and Kingdoms
18:7At last I will speak concerning a nation or kingdom, to remove them and destroy,
18:8and if that nation turns from all their evils, I will change My mind concerning the evils I planned to do to them.
18:9And at last I will speak concerning a nation and kingdom, for it to be rebuilt and planted,
18:10and if they do evil things before Me by not hearing My voice, I will change My mind concerning the good things I spoke of doing for them.
Turn Back, Each from His Evil Way
18:11And now say to Judah’s men and those dwelling in Jerusalem: Look, I am shaping evils against you and devising a design against you. Let each turn from his evil way now, and make your practices better.
18:12And they said: We will be resolute, because we will follow our turnings away, and each will do what pleases his evil heart.
Ask Now Among the Nations
18:13Therefore thus says the Lord: Ask now among the nations: Who heard such horrifying things that virgin Israel committed so greatly?
18:14Will breasts fail from a rock, or snow from Lebanon? Will water borne violently by wind turn aside?
18:15Because My people forgot Me, they burned incense in vain; and they will become weak in their ways, the age-old tracks, to step upon paths having no road for travel,
18:16to make their land a disappearance and an eternal hissing; all who pass through it will be astonished and shake their head.
18:17Like a scorching wind I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them their day of destruction.
18:18And they said: Come, let us devise a design against Jeremiah, because law will not perish from a priest, counsel from the discerning, or word from a prophet. Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and we will hear all his words.
Listen to Me, Lord
18:19Listen to me, Lord, and listen to the voice of my claim of right.
18:20Is evil repaid for good things? For they spoke words together against my soul and hid their punishment for me. Remember my standing before You to speak good things for them, to turn Your fury from them.
18:21Therefore give their sons to famine and gather them into the sword’s hands. Let their women become childless and widowed, their men killed by death, and their young men fallen by the sword in war.
18:22Let there be a cry in their houses; You will bring robbers upon them suddenly, because they attempted a plan for my capture and hid traps against me.
18:23And You, Lord, knew all their counsel against me for death. Do not acquit their injustices or erase their sins from before You. Let their weakness be before You; act among them in the time of Your fury.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.