But Jeremiahsaid,"They will not giveyou over. Pleaseobeythe LORDin whatI am sayingto you, that it may gowellwith you and you may live.
"Pleasesaythat you are my sistersothat it may gowellwith me becauseof you, and that I may liveon accountof you."
nowbehold,thistownis near[enough] to fleeto, and it is small.Please,let me escapethere(is it not small?)that my lifemay be saved."
They roseearlyin the morningand wentout to the wildernessof Tekoa;and when they wentout, Jehoshaphatstoodand said,"Listento me, O Judahand inhabitantsof Jerusalem,putyour trustin the LORDyour Godand you will be established.Putyour trustin His prophetsand succeed."
Then he taughtme and saidto me, "Let your heartholdfastmy words;Keepmy commandmentsand live;
Keepmy commandmentsand live,And my teachingas the appleof your eye.
"Inclineyour earand cometo Me. Listen,that you may live;And I will makean everlastingcovenantwith you, [According to] the faithfulmerciesshown to David.
whichI commandedyour forefathersin the daythat I broughtthem out of the landof Egypt,from the ironfurnace,saying,Listento My voice,and doaccording to allwhichI commandyou; so you shall be My people,and I will be your God,'
Yet they didnot obeyor inclinetheir ear,but walked,eachone,in the stubbornnessof his evilheart;therefore I broughton them allthe wordsof thiscovenant,whichI commanded[them] to do,but they didnot.'"
"Nowtherefore amendyour waysand your deedsand obeythe voiceof the LORDyour God;and the LORDwill changeHis mindaboutthe misfortunewhichHe has pronouncedagainstyou.
"But ifyou keep refusingto goout, thisis the wordwhichthe LORDhas shownme:
"But thisis whatI commandedthem, saying,ObeyMy voice,and I will be your God,and you will be My people;and you will walkin allthe waywhichI commandyou, that it may be wellwith you.'
Therefore,O king,may my advicebe pleasingto you: breakawaynow from your sinsby [doing] righteousnessand from your iniquitiesby showingmercyto [the] poor,in casethere may be a prolongingof your prosperity.'
For thussaysthe LORDto the houseof Israel,"SeekMe that you may live.
"Seekthe LORDthat you may live,OrHe will breakforthlike a fire,O houseof Joseph,And it will consumewith noneto quench[it] for Bethel,
And Paul[said], "I would wishto God,that whetherin a shortorlong time,not onlyyou, but alsoallwho hearme this day,might becomesuchas I am,exceptfor thesechains."
Therefore,knowingthe fearof the Lord,we persuademen,but we are mademanifestto God;and I hopethat we are made manifestalsoin your consciences.
Therefore,we are ambassadorsfor Christ,as thoughGodwere making an appealthroughus; we begyou on behalfof Christ,be reconciledto God.
And working together[with Him], we alsourgeyou not to receivethe graceof Godin vain--
But proveyourselves doersof the word,and not merelyhearerswho deludethemselves.
