Jeremiah 36 - 37

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

Now it happened that in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, 2 “Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. 3 Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I devise to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.” 4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of Yahweh which He had spoken to him. 5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am confined; I cannot go into the house of Yahweh. 6 So you shall go and read from the scroll, which you have written at my dictation, the words of Yahweh in the hearing of the people in the house of Yahweh on a fast day. And also you shall read them in the hearing of all the people of Judah who come from their cities. 7 Perhaps their supplication will come before Yahweh, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that Yahweh has spoken against this people.” 8 So Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of Yahweh in the house of Yahweh. 9 Now it happened in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem called for a fast before Yahweh. 10 Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the house of Yahweh, in the hearing of all the people. 11 Then Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of Yahweh from the book. 12 And he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13 And Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book in the hearing of the people. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the hearing of the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to them. 15 And they said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it in our hearing.” So Baruch read it in their hearing. 16 Now it happened that when they heard all the words, they turned in dread one to another and said to Baruch, “We will surely declare all these words to the king.” 17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Declare to us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?” 18 Then Baruch said to them, “He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.” 19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.”

The Scroll Is Burned

20 So they went to the king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they declared all the words in the hearing of the king. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king as well as in the hearing of all the officials who stood beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. 23 And it happened that when Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. 24 Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not in dread, nor did they tear their garments. 25 Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah interceded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but Yahweh hid them.

The Scroll Is Replaced

27 Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, 28 “Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. 29 And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and make this land a ruin and will make man and beast to cease from it?’” 30 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 And I will also punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the evil that I have spoken about to them—but they did not listen.”’” 32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

Jeremiah Warns Against Trust in Pharaoh

Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of Yahweh which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. 3 Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray to Yahweh our God on our behalf.” 4 Now Jeremiah was still coming in and going out among the people; they had not yet put him in the prison. 5 Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s military force had come out from Egypt; and the Chaldeans who had been besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them. So they withdrew from Jerusalem. 6 Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 7 “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Thus you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: “Behold, the military force of Pharaoh which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt. 8 The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city, and they will capture it and burn it with fire.”’ 9 Thus says Yahweh, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go. 10 For even if you had struck down the entire military force of the Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men remaining among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

Jeremiah Imprisoned

11 Now it happened when the military force of the Chaldeans had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of the military force of Pharaoh, 12 that Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin in order to obtain his portion of some property there among the people. 13 Now it happened that while he was at the Gate of Benjamin, the master of the guard whose name was Irijah the son of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah was there; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are going over to the Chaldeans!” 14 But Jeremiah said, “A lie! I am not going over to the Chaldeans”; yet he would not listen to him. So Irijah seized Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. 15 Then the officials were angry at Jeremiah and struck him, and they put him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe because they had made that house into the prison. 16 For Jeremiah had come into the pit, that is, the vaulted cell; and Jeremiah stayed there many days. 17 Then King Zedekiah sent and took him out; and in his palace the king secretly asked him and said, “Is there a word from Yahweh?” And Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he said, “You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon!” 18 Moreover, Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you or against your servants or against this people, that you have put me in prison? 19 Where then are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’? 20 But now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my supplication come before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there.” 21 Then King Zedekiah gave commandment, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guard and gave him a loaf of bread daily from the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city had come to an end. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

Romans 16

Final Instructions and Greetings

Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; 2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a benefactor of many, and of myself as well. 3

Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

also greet the church that is in their house.

Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

Greet Mary, who has labored much for you.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding to the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

Greet Herodion, my kinsman.

Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord.

Greet Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.

Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them.

Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ greet you.

17 Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and stumblings contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own stomach, and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all. Therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. 21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother. 24 [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.] 25 Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the Gentiles, leading to obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

Psalm 111

Yahweh Is Gracious and Compassionate

א Aleph

Praise Yah!

I will give thanks to Yahweh with all my heart,

ב Beth

In the council of the upright and in the congregation.

ג Gimel

Great are the works of Yahweh;

ד Daleth

They are sought by all who delight in them.

ה He

Splendid and majestic is His work,

ו Vav

And His righteousness stands forever.

ז Zayin

He has made His wondrous deeds to be remembered;

ח Heth

Yahweh is gracious and compassionate.

ט Teth

He has given food to those who fear Him;

י Yodh

He will remember His covenant forever.

כ Kaph

He has declared to His people the power of His works,

ל Lamedh

In giving them an inheritance of the nations.

מ Mem

The works of His hands are truth and justice;

נ Nun

All His precepts are faithful.

ס Samekh

They are upheld forever and ever;

ע Ayin

They are done in truth and uprightness.

פ Pe

He has sent redemption to His people;

צ Tsadhe

He has commanded His covenant forever;

ק Qoph

Holy and fearsome is His name.

ר Resh

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom;

שׂ Sin

Good insight belongs to all those who do His commandments;

ת Tav

His praise stands forever.