Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

Here is a unified, flowing modern English translation of Jeremiah chapter 29:

The Lord spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, sending a letter to all the elders, priests, prophets, and people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon.

When King Jeconiah, his queen mother, the eunuchs, princes of Judah and Jerusalem, craftsmen, and smiths had left Jerusalem, Jeremiah sent this letter to all the captives in Babylon: The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: "Build houses and settle in them. Plant gardens and enjoy their produce. Take wives and have children; give your sons in marriage and let your daughters marry. Seek the peace and prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile. Pray to me for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says: "Don't listen to the false prophets who claim to speak for me. They prophesy lies in my name, but I didn't send them. After seventy years have passed since Babylon's exile began, I will visit you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back home."

I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me, I'll listen to you. Seek me with all your heart, and you'll find me. I'll turn your captivity into freedom and gather you from all the nations where I've scattered you, says the Lord.

Because of what you said, "The Lord has sent us prophets in Babylon," the Lord declares concerning King Zedekiah who sits on David's throne and the people living in this city, including those brothers of yours who haven't been taken into exile: I will bring disaster on them when they refuse to listen to my words that I've sent through my servants the prophets.

This is what the Lord says: I'll send upon them sword, famine, and disease. They'll be like figs so rotten they can't even be eaten. I'll pursue them with the sword, famine, and disease, and deliver them as an object of horror, astonishment, hissing, and contempt among all the nations where I've driven them.

Because you wouldn't listen to my words that I sent through my prophets who spoke early in the morning, says the Lord, and you refused to heed them, the Lord will bring disaster on you.

The Lord says: Hear my word and know that I am he who knows and is witness. The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says to Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah who prophesy lies in my name: I'll hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your eyes.

The people of Judah in exile will curse these men, saying, "May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab whom King Nebuchadnezzar roasted alive in the fire." They committed wickedness in Israel, had sex with their neighbors' wives, and spoke false words in my name which I didn't command them. Even I know, and I'm a witness, says the Lord.

This is what the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says to Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because you sent letters in your name to all the people at Jerusalem and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest saying, "The Lord has appointed you to serve as Jehoiada's replacement with authority over every man who claims to be a prophet but is actually mad." Why didn't you rebuke Jeremiah from Anathoth for speaking falsely in my name?

You sent us a letter in Babylon saying, "This exile will last longer; build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their produce." Zephaniah the priest read this letter aloud to Jeremiah the prophet.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: Send to all those in exile saying: This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because he prophesied to you and I didn't send him, leading you astray with a lie. The Lord will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; they'll have no one left among this people, nor will they see the good I do for my people, declares the Lord, because he taught rebellion against me.