Jeremiah 16

Jeremiah Must Live His Message

1The Lord said to me:

2Jeremiah, don't get married and have children—Judah is no place to raise a family.

3I'll tell you what's going to happen to children and their parents here.

4They will die of horrible diseases and of war and starvation. No one will give them a funeral or bury them, and their bodies will be food for the birds and wild animals. And what's left will lie on the ground like manure.

5When someone dies, don't visit the family or show any sorrow. I will no longer love or bless or have any pity on the people of Judah.

6Rich and poor alike will die and be left unburied. No one will mourn and show their sorrow by cutting themselves or shaving their heads.[#16.6 A custom in some Canaanite religions.]

7No one will bring food and wine to help comfort those who are mourning the death of their father or mother.

8Don't even set foot in a house where there is eating and drinking and celebrating.

9Warn the people of Judah that I, the Lord All-Powerful, will put an end to all their parties and wedding celebrations.[#Jr 7.34; 25.10; Rev 18.23.]

10They will ask, “Why has the Lord our God threatened us with so many disasters? Have we done something wrong or sinned against him?”

11Then tell them I have said:

The Lord Gives Strength

19Our Lord , you are the one

who gives me strength

and protects me like a fortress

when I am in trouble.

People will come to you

from distant nations and say,

“Our ancestors worshiped

false and useless gods,

20worthless idols

made by human hands.”

21Then the Lord replied,

“That's why I will teach them

about my power,

and they will know that I

truly am the Lord .”

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Published by: American Bible Society