Jeremiah 20 – NIVUK & NIRV

New International Version – UK

Jeremiah 20:1-18

Jeremiah and Pashhur

1When the priest Pashhur son of Immer, the official in charge of the temple of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, 2he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the Lord’s temple. 3The next day, when Pashhur released him from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, ‘The Lord’s name for you is not Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side. 4For this is what the Lord says: “I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; with your own eyes you will see them fall by the sword of their enemies. I will give all Judah into the hands of the king of Babylon, who will carry them away to Babylon or put them to the sword. 5I will deliver all the wealth of this city into the hands of their enemies – all its products, all its valuables and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. They will take it away as plunder and carry it off to Babylon. 6And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into exile to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.” ’

Jeremiah’s complaint

7You deceived20:7 Or persuaded me, Lord, and I was deceived20:7 Or persuaded;

you overpowered me and prevailed.

I am ridiculed all day long;

everyone mocks me.

8Whenever I speak, I cry out

proclaiming violence and destruction.

So the word of the Lord has brought me

insult and reproach all day long.

9But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word

or speak anymore in his name,’

his word is in my heart like a fire,

a fire shut up in my bones.

I am weary of holding it in;

indeed, I cannot.

10I hear many whispering,

‘Terror on every side!

Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!’

All my friends

are waiting for me to slip, saying,

‘Perhaps he will be deceived;

then we will prevail over him

and take our revenge on him.’

11But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;

so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.

They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;

their dishonour will never be forgotten.

12Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous

and probe the heart and mind,

let me see your vengeance on them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

13Sing to the Lord!

Give praise to the Lord!

He rescues the life of the needy

from the hands of the wicked.

14Cursed be the day I was born!

May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!

15Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,

who made him very glad, saying,

‘A child is born to you – a son!’

16May that man be like the towns

the Lord overthrew without pity.

May he hear wailing in the morning,

a battle cry at noon.

17For he did not kill me in the womb,

with my mother as my grave,

her womb enlarged for ever.

18Why did I ever come out of the womb

to see trouble and sorrow

and to end my days in shame?

New International Reader’s Version

Jeremiah 20:1-18

Jeremiah and Pashhur

1Pashhur the priest was the official in charge of the Lord’s temple. He was the son of Immer. Pashhur heard Jeremiah prophesying that Jerusalem would be destroyed. 2So he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten. Then Pashhur put him in prison at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the Lord’s temple. 3The next day Pashhur set him free. Jeremiah said to him, “The Lord’s name for you isn’t Pashhur. The Lord’s name for you is Terror on Every Side. 4The Lord says to you, ‘I will make you a terror to yourself. You will also be a terror to all your friends. With your own eyes you will see them die. Their enemies will kill them with swords. I will hand over all the people of Judah to the king of Babylon. He will carry them away to Babylon or kill them with swords. 5I will hand over all the wealth of this city to Judah’s enemies. I will give them all its products and everything of value. I will turn over to them all the treasures that belonged to the kings of Judah. They will take these things and carry them off to Babylon. 6Pashhur, you and everyone who lives in your house will also be forced to go there. You have prophesied lies to all your friends. So all of you will die and be buried in Babylon.’ ”

Jeremiah Complains to the Lord

7You tricked me, Lord, and I was tricked.

You overpowered me and won.

People make fun of me all day long.

Everyone laughs at me.

8Every time I speak, I cry out.

All you ever tell me to talk about

is fighting and trouble.

Your message has brought me nothing but dishonor.

It has made me suffer shame all day long.

9Sometimes I think, “I won’t talk about his message anymore.

I’ll never speak in his name again.”

But then your message burns in my heart.

It’s like a fire deep inside my bones.

I’m tired of holding it in.

In fact, I can’t.

10I hear many people whispering,

“There is terror on every side!

Bring charges against Jeremiah! Let’s bring charges against him!”

All my friends

are waiting for me to slip.

They are saying, “Perhaps he will be tricked

into making a mistake.

Then we’ll win out over him.

We’ll get even with him.”

11But you are with me like a mighty warrior.

So those who are trying to harm me will trip and fall.

They won’t win out over me.

They will fail. They’ll be totally put to shame.

Their dishonor will never be forgotten.

12Lord, you rule over all.

You test those who do what is right.

You see what is in people’s hearts and minds.

So pay them back for what they’ve done.

I’ve committed my cause to you.

13Sing to the Lord, you people!

Give praise to him!

He saves the lives of people in need.

He saves them from the power of sinful people.

14May the day I was born be cursed!

May the day I was born to my mother not be blessed!

15May the man who brought my father the news be cursed!

He’s the one who made my father very glad.

He said, “You have had a baby! It’s a boy!”

16May that man be like the towns

the Lord destroyed without pity.

May that man hear loud weeping in the morning.

May he hear a battle cry at noon.

17He should have killed me in my mother’s body.

He should have made my mother my grave.

He should have let her body stay large forever.

18Why did I ever come out of my mother’s body?

I’ve seen nothing but trouble and sorrow.

My days will end in shame.