1 “Search Jerusalemfor honest peoplewho try to be faithful.If you can find even one,I'll forgive the whole city.
2 Everyone breaks promisesmade in my name.”
3 I answered, “I knowthat you look for truth.You punished your peoplefor their lies,but in spite of the pain,they became more stubbornand refused to turn backto you.”
4 Then I thought to myself,“These common peopleact like fools,and they have never learnedwhat the Lord their Goddemands of them.
5 So I'll go and talk to the leaders.They know what God demands.”But even they had decidednot to obey the Lord.
6 The people have rebelledand rejected the Lordtoo many times.So enemies will attacklike lions from the forestor wolves from the desert.Those enemies will watchthe towns of Judah,and like leopardsthey will tear to pieceswhoever goes outside.
7 People of Judah,how can I forgive you?I gave you everything,but you abandoned meand worshiped idols.You men go to prostitutesand are unfaithfulto your wives.
8 You are no better than animals,and you always want sexwith someone else's wife.
9 Why shouldn't I punishthe people of Judah?
10 I will tell their enemies,“Go through my vineyard.Don't destroy the vines,but cut off the branches,because they are the peoplewho don't belong to me.”
11 In every way, Judah and Israelhave been unfaithful to me.*
12 Their prophets lie and say,“The Lord won't punish us.We will have peaceand plenty of food.”
13 They tell these lies in my name,so now they will be killed in waror starve to death.
14 I am the Lord God All-Powerful.Jeremiah, I will tell youexactly what to say.Your words will be a fire;Israel and Judahwill be the fuel.
15 People of Israel,I have made my decision.An army from a distant countrywill attack you.I've chosen an ancient nation,and you won't understandtheir language.
16 All of them are warriors,and their arrows bring death.
17 This nation will eat your cropsand livestock;they will leave no fruiton your vines or fig trees.And although you feel safebehind thick walls,your towns will be destroyedand your children killed.
18 The Lord said:Jeremiah, the enemy army won't kill everyone in Judah.
19 And the people who survive will ask, “Why did the Lord our God do such terrible things to us?” Then tell them:I am the Lord,but you abandoned meand worshiped other godsin your own land.Now you will be slavesin a foreign country.
20 Tell these things to each other,you people of Judah,you descendants of Jacob.
21 You fools! Why don't you listenwhen I speak?Why can't you understand
22 that you should worship mewith fear and trembling?I'm the one who made the shoreto hold back the ocean.Waves may crash on the beach,but they can come no farther.
23 You stubborn people have rebelledand turned your backs on me.
24 You refuse to say,“Let's worship the Lord!He's the one who sends rainin spring and autumnand gives us a good harvest.”
25 That's why I cannot bless you!*
26 A hunter traps birdsand puts them in a cage,but some of you trap humansand make them your slaves.
27 You are evil, and you lie and cheatto make yourselves rich.You are powerful
28 and prosperous,but you refuse to help the poorget the justice they deserve.
29 You need to be punished,and so I will take revenge.
30 Look at the terrible thingsgoing on in this country.I am shocked!
31 Prophets give their messagesin the name of a false god,my priests don't wantto serve me,and you—my own people—like it this way!But on the day of disaster,where will you turn for help?