Jeremiah 11:9-23

9The Lord said to me, ‘The people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem have decided to turn against me.

10They are doing the same evil things that their ancestors did. Their ancestors refused to obey my commands. These people do that, and they also serve and worship other gods. I made a covenant with their ancestors. But the nations of Judah and Israel have refused to obey that covenant.

11So now, I, the Lord, say this: “I will bring great trouble to these people. They will not be able to escape. When they call out to me for help, I will not listen to them.

12The people who live in Jerusalem and in the other towns of Judah will ask their false gods to help them. Those are the gods that they offer sacrifices to. But when this terrible trouble comes, those gods will never be able to rescue them.

13You people of Judah have as many gods as you have towns! You have built many altars to offer sacrifices to that disgusting god, Baal. You have built as many of those altars as there are streets in Jerusalem!”

14So, Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not ask me to do anything to help them. Do not ask me to save them. When trouble comes and they ask me for help, I will not listen to them.

15The people that I love are doing wicked things. They should not be in my temple. They think that they will be safe if they offer animal sacrifices to me. They enjoy the evil things that they do, and their punishment will certainly happen.

16I, the Lord, called you a beautiful olive tree. It was a tree that gave lots of good fruit. But now I will destroy you with fire. The flames will make a loud noise. All your branches will be useless.

17I, the Lord Almighty, planted you in the land, like a tree. But now you have caused me to be angry. You nations of Israel and Judah have done evil things. And you have offered sacrifices to Baal. So now I have decided to punish you with great trouble.’

18The Lord showed me what the people were doing. He helped me to understood what was really happening.

19Before that, I did not know about their plans to kill me. I was like a lamb that men were taking away to kill it. I did not know that they were saying, ‘We should cut down this tree and destroy its fruit! Jeremiah must not continue to live in this world. Then people will forget all about him.’

20So I said, ‘Lord Almighty, you judge people in a fair way. You know what people are thinking. You understand how they feel. I trust you to show that I have not done anything that is wrong. So please punish these people. Pay them back for their sins.’

21The Lord told me that some men in Anathoth wanted to kill me. They said to me, ‘Stop telling us messages from the Lord! If you do not stop, we will kill you.’

22So the Lord Almighty said, ‘Yes, I will certainly punish them! Their young men will die as they fight in war. Their children will be so hungry that they die.

23All those men in Anathoth who wanted to kill you will die. At the right time, I will punish them with great trouble.’