For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of the LORD our God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the LORD's tabernacle, and turned their backs on Him.

Therefore, the wrath of the LORD was on Judah and Jerusalem, and He made them an object of terror, horror, and hissing, as you see with your own eyes.

It is in my heart now to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel so that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.

Don't be like your fathers and your brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their ancestors so that He made them an object of horror as you yourselves see.

"Go. Inquire of the LORD for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is the LORD's wrath that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD in order to do everything written in this book."

Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our fathers until the present. Because of our iniquities we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the surrounding kings, and to the sword, captivity, plundering, and open shame, as it is today.

But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did not listen to Your commands.

Then they would not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not loyal and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have gone astray and have acted wickedly.

Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp [the significance of] Your wonderful works or remember Your many acts of faithful love; instead, they rebelled by the sea-- the Red Sea.

"Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise.

He doesn't oppress anyone, hold collateral, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.

For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things, like silver or gold,

But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they closed their ears so they could not hear.

Just as He had called, and they would not listen, so when they called, I would not listen," says the LORD of Hosts.

Nevertheless, He sent them prophets to bring them back to the LORD; they admonished them, but they would not listen.

But they conspired against him and stoned him at the king's command in the courtyard of the LORD's temple.

But the LORD God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of his messengers, sending them time and time again, for He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.

But they kept ridiculing God's messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets, until the LORD's wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against You. They flung Your law behind their backs and killed Your prophets who warned them to turn them back to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit warned them through Your prophets, but they would not listen. Therefore, You handed them over to the surrounding peoples.

They are a rebellious people, deceptive children, children who do not obey the LORD's instruction.

Get out of the way! Leave the pathway. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel."

This is what the LORD says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths: Which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested: We won't!

I appointed watchmen over you [and said:] Listen for the sound of the ram's horn. But they protested: We won't listen!

Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the mountains at dusk. You wait for light, but He brings darkest gloom and makes thick darkness.

Say to the king and the queen mother: Take a humble seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.

This is what the LORD said to me, "Go and stand in the People's Gate, through which the kings of Judah enter and leave, and in all the gates of Jerusalem.

This is what the LORD says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.

They wouldn't listen or pay attention but became obstinate, not listening or accepting discipline.

"From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, until this very day-- 23 years-- the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you time and time again, but you have not obeyed.

He announced, 'Turn, each of you, from your evil way of life and from your evil deeds. Live in the land the LORD gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever.

" 'But you would not obey Me'-- [this is] the LORD's declaration-- 'in order that you might provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands and bring disaster on yourselves.'

Time and time again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: Turn, each one from his evil way of life, and correct your actions. Stop following other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors. But you would not pay attention or obey Me.

"Take a scroll, and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah, and all the nations from the time I [first] spoke to you during Josiah's reign until today.

Perhaps, when the house of Judah hears about all the disaster I am planning to bring on them, each one of them will turn from his evil way. Then I will forgive their wrongdoing and sin."

Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, "I am restricted; I cannot enter the temple of the LORD,

Perhaps their petition will come before the LORD, and each one will turn from his evil way, for the anger and fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people are great."

In the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people of Jerusalem and all those coming in from Judah's cities into Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the LORD.

So I sent you all My servants the prophets time and time again, saying, Don't do this detestable thing that I hate.

But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their evil or stop burning incense to other gods.

But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted.

I have made your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don't be afraid of them or discouraged by [the look on] their faces, even though they are a rebellious house."

"Stop your preaching," they preach. "They should not preach these things; shame will not overtake us."

"You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your forefathers did, so do you.

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They even killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.

They killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and persecuted us; they displease God, and are hostile to everyone,

hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are always adding to the number of their sins, and wrath has overtaken them completely.

So tell the people: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Return to Me"-- [this is] the declaration of the LORD of Hosts-- "and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.

"Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil.

"Come, let us discuss this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool.

Return to the One the Israelites have greatly rebelled against.

Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say: Return, unfaithful Israel. [This is] the LORD's declaration. I will not look on you with anger, for I am unfailing in My love. [This is] the LORD's declaration. I will not be angry forever.

"This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Correct your ways and your deeds, and I will allow you to live in this place.

Instead, if you really change your ways and your actions, if you act justly toward one another,

I will allow you to live in this place, the land I gave to your ancestors forever and ever.

So now, say to the men of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem: This is what the LORD says: I am about to bring harm to you and make plans against you. Turn now, each from your evil way, and correct your ways and your deeds.

"Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways." [This is] the declaration of the Lord God. "Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so they will not be a stumbling block that causes your punishment.

For I take no pleasure in anyone's death." [This is] the declaration of the Lord God. "So repent and live!

Tell them: As I live"-- the declaration of the Lord God-- "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?

Israel, return to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled in your sin.

Therefore, the wise person will keep silent at such a time, for the days are evil.

Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate. Perhaps the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.

Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Therefore repent and turn back, that your sins may be wiped out so that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.

The LORD said to me, "Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: Obey the words of this covenant and carry them out.

Yet they would not obey or pay attention; each one followed the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought on them all the curses of this covenant, because they had not done what I commanded [them] to do."

"This is what the LORD says: Just like this I will ruin the great pride of both Judah and Jerusalem.

These evil people, who refuse to listen to Me, who walk in the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who have followed other gods to serve and worship-- they will be like this underwear, of no use whatsoever.

and by listening to the words of My servants the prophets I have been sending you time and time again, though you did not listen,

As soon as Jehudi would read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut the scroll with a scribe's knife and throw the columns into the blazing fire until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire in the brazier.

As they heard all these words, the king and all of his servants did not became terrified or tear their garments.

"As for the word you spoke to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you!