These evil people, who refuse to listen to me, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who have followed other gods to serve and bow in worship #– #they will be like this underwear, of no use at all.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.
For I have heard the gossip of many people, ‘Terror is on every side! Report him; let’s report him! ’ Everyone I trusted watches for my fall. ‘Perhaps he will be deceived so that we might prevail against him and take our vengeance on him.’
for I was like a docile lamb led to slaughter. I didn’t know that they had devised plots against me: ‘Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit; let’s cut him off from the land of the living so that his name will no longer be remembered.’
Then certain ones said, ‘Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah, for instruction will never be lost from the priest, or counsel from the wise, or a word from the prophet. Come, let’s denounce him and pay no attention to all his words.’
They have returned to the iniquities of their ancestors who refused to obey my words and have followed other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant which I made with their ancestors.
when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodguilt from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgement and a spirit of burning.
How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred!
I will put this third through the fire; I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, “They are my people,” and they will say, “The Lord is our God.” ’