1 São estas as palavras da carta que Jeremias, o profeta, enviou de Jerusalém ao resto dos anciãos do cativeiro, como também aos sacerdotes, aos profetas e a todo o povo que Nabucodonosor havia deportado de Jerusalém para a Babilônia, 2 depois que saíram de Jerusalém o rei Jeconias, a rainha-mãe, os oficiais, os príncipes de Judá e Jerusalém e os carpinteiros e ferreiros. 3 A carta foi mandada por intermédio de Elasa, filho de Safã, e de Gemarias, filho de Hilquias, os quais Zedequias, rei de Judá, tinha enviado à Babilônia, a Nabucodonosor, rei da Babilônia, e dizia: 4 Assim diz o Senhor dos Exércitos, o Deus de Israel, a todos os exilados que eu deportei de Jerusalém para a Babilônia: 5 Edificai casas e habitai nelas; plantai pomares e comei o seu fruto. 6 Tomai esposas e gerai filhos e filhas, tomai esposas para vossos filhos e dai vossas filhas a maridos, para que tenham filhos e filhas; multiplicai-vos aí e não vos diminuais. 7 Procurai a paz da cidade para onde vos desterrei e orai por ela ao Senhor; porque na sua paz vós tereis paz. 8 Porque assim diz o Senhor dos Exércitos, o Deus de Israel: Não vos enganem os vossos profetas que estão no meio de vós, nem os vossos adivinhos, nem deis ouvidos aos vossos sonhadores, que sempre sonham segundo o vosso desejo; 9 porque falsamente vos profetizam eles em meu nome; eu não os enviei, diz o Senhor.

10 Assim diz o Senhor: Logo que se cumprirem para a Babilônia setenta anos, atentarei para vós outros e cumprirei para convosco a minha boa palavra, tornando a trazer-vos para este lugar. 11 Eu é que sei que pensamentos tenho a vosso respeito, diz o Senhor; pensamentos de paz e não de mal, para vos dar o fim que desejais. 12 Então, me invocareis, passareis a orar a mim, e eu vos ouvirei. 13 Buscar-me-eis e me achareis quando me buscardes de todo o vosso coração. 14 Serei achado de vós, diz o Senhor, e farei mudar a vossa sorte; congregar-vos-ei de todas as nações e de todos os lugares para onde vos lancei, diz o Senhor, e tornarei a trazer-vos ao lugar donde vos mandei para o exílio.

15 Vós dizeis: O Senhor nos suscitou profetas na Babilônia. 16 Mas assim diz o Senhor a respeito do rei que se assenta no trono de Davi e de todo o povo que habita nesta cidade, vossos irmãos, que não saíram convosco para o exílio; 17 assim diz o Senhor dos Exércitos: Eis que enviarei contra eles a espada, a fome e a peste e fá-los-ei como a figos ruins, que, de ruins que são, não se podem comer. 18 Persegui-los-ei com a espada, a fome e a peste; fá-los-ei um espetáculo horrendo para todos os reinos da terra; e os porei por objeto de espanto, e de assobio, e de opróbrio entre todas as nações para onde os tiver arrojado; 19 porque não deram ouvidos às minhas palavras, diz o Senhor, com as quais, começando de madrugada, lhes enviei os meus servos, os profetas; mas vós não os escutastes, diz o Senhor. 20 Vós, pois, ouvi a palavra do Senhor, todos os do exílio que enviei de Jerusalém para a Babilônia. 21 Assim diz o Senhor dos Exércitos, o Deus de Israel, acerca de Acabe, filho de Colaías, e de Zedequias, filho de Maaseias, que vos profetizam falsamente em meu nome: Eis que os entregarei nas mãos de Nabucodonosor, rei da Babilônia, e ele os ferirá diante dos vossos olhos. 22 Daí surgirá nova espécie de maldição entre os exilados de Judá que estão na Babilônia: o Senhor te faça como a Zedequias e como a Acabe, os quais o rei da Babilônia assou no fogo; 23 porquanto fizeram loucuras em Israel, cometeram adultérios com as mulheres de seus companheiros e anunciaram falsamente em meu nome palavras que não lhes mandei dizer; eu o sei e sou testemunha disso, diz o Senhor.

24 A Semaías, o neelamita, falarás, dizendo: 25 Assim diz o Senhor dos Exércitos, o Deus de Israel: Porquanto enviaste no teu nome cartas a todo o povo que está em Jerusalém, como também a Sofonias, filho de Maaseias, o sacerdote, e a todos os sacerdotes, dizendo: 26 O Senhor te pôs por sacerdote em lugar do sacerdote Joiada, para que sejas encarregado da Casa do Senhor sobre todo homem fanático que quer passar por profeta, para o lançares na prisão e no tronco. 27 Agora, pois, por que não repreendeste a Jeremias, o anatotita, que vos profetiza? 28 Pois nos enviou mensageiros à Babilônia para nos dizer: Há de durar muito o exílio; edificai casas e habitai nelas; plantai pomares e comei o seu fruto.

29 Sofonias, o sacerdote, leu esta carta aos ouvidos do profeta Jeremias. 30 Então, veio a palavra do Senhor a Jeremias, dizendo: 31 Manda dizer a todos os exilados: Assim diz o Senhor acerca de Semaías, o neelamita: Porquanto Semaías vos profetizou, não o havendo eu enviado, e vos fez confiar em mentiras, 32 assim diz o Senhor: Eis que castigarei a Semaías, o neelamita, e à sua descendência; ele não terá ninguém que habite entre este povo e não verá o bem que hei de fazer ao meu povo, diz o Senhor, porque pregou rebeldia contra o Senhor.

1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon, 2 (after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen-mother, and the eunuchs, and the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem), 3 by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying, 4 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem unto Babylon: 5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters: and multiply ye there, and be not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto Jehovah for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 8 For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith Jehovah. 10 For thus saith Jehovah, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. 12 And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith Jehovah, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith Jehovah; and I will bring you again unto the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

15 Because ye have said, Jehovah hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; 16 thus saith Jehovah concerning the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and concerning all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity; 17 thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. 18 And I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an execration, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them; 19 because they have not hearkened to my words, saith Jehovah, wherewith I sent unto them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith Jehovah. 20 Hear ye therefore the word of Jehovah, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

21 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie unto you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes; 22 and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah that are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; 23 because they have wrought folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I commanded them not; and I am he that knoweth, and am witness, saith Jehovah.

24 And concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite thou shalt speak, saying, 25 Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thine own name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26 Jehovah hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in the house of Jehovah, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in the stocks and in shackles. 27 Now therefore, why hast thou not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who maketh himself a prophet to you, 28 forasmuch as he hath sent unto us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them? 29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying, 31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith Jehovah concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he hath caused you to trust in a lie; 32 therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do unto my people, saith Jehovah, because he hath spoken rebellion against Jehovah.

1 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

2 (This was after King Jehoiachin "and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.)

3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.

6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.

7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

8 Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.

9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD.

10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. "I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

15 You may say, "The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,"

16 but this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David's throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile —

17 yes, this is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.

18 I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse "and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them.

19 For they have not listened to my words," declares the LORD, "words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either," declares the LORD.

20 Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

21 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: "I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes.

22 Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: 'May the LORD treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.'

23 For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and in my name they have uttered lies —which I did not authorize. I know it and am a witness to it," declares the LORD.

24 Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite,

25 "This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah,

26 'The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the LORD; you should put any maniac who acts like a prophet into the stocks and neck-irons.

27 So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?

28 He has sent this message to us in Babylon: It will be a long time. Therefore build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.'"

29 Zephaniah the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

30 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

31 "Send this message to all the exiles: 'This is what the LORD says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies,

32 this is what the LORD says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good things I will do for my people, declares the LORD, because he has preached rebellion against me.'"