Jeremiah 26 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came from Yahweh:

"This is what Yahweh says: Stand in the courtyard of Yahweh's house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in Yahweh's house. Tell them everything I command you — don't leave out a single word.

Maybe they'll listen and each one will turn away from their destructive path. If they do, I'll change my mind about the disaster I was planning to bring on them because of the terrible things they've been doing."

"Say to them: This is what Yahweh says — If you won't listen to me and follow the instructions I've laid out for you,

and if you won't listen to the words of my servants the prophets — the ones I've been sending to you again and again, even though you never listened —

then I'll make this house like Shiloh, and I'll make this city a curse word among every nation on earth."

The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these things in Yahweh's house.

When Jeremiah finished saying everything Yahweh had commanded him to say to all the people, the priests and prophets and all the people grabbed him and said, "You're going to die for this!

Why would you prophesy in Yahweh's name and say, 'This house will become like Shiloh, and this city will be left empty with no one living in it'?" The whole crowd surrounded Jeremiah in Yahweh's house.

When the officials of Judah heard about all this, they came up from the royal palace to Yahweh's house and took their seats at the entrance of the New Gate of Yahweh's house.

Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, "This man deserves the death sentence, because he has prophesied against this city — you heard it yourselves!"

Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: "Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and this city — everything you've heard.

So now — change your ways and your actions, and listen to Yahweh your God. Then Yahweh will change his mind about the disaster he announced against you.

As for me — I'm in your hands. Do with me whatever you think is right and just.

But know this for certain: if you put me to death, you'll be bringing innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and everyone in it. Because Yahweh truly did send me to you to speak all these words where you could hear them."

Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, "This man does not deserve the death sentence, because he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God."

Then some of the elders of the land stood up and said to the entire assembled crowd:

"Micah from Moresheth prophesied during the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah: 'This is what Yahweh, Commander of Armies, says: Zion will be plowed up like a field, Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, and the temple hill will become an overgrown ridge.'

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all of Judah put him to death? Didn't Hezekiah instead honor Yahweh and seek his favor? And Yahweh changed his mind about the disaster he had announced against them. We're about to bring terrible harm on ourselves!"

There was also another man who prophesied in Yahweh's name — Uriah son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and this land using the same kind of language Jeremiah did.

When King Jehoiakim and all his warriors and officials heard what Uriah was saying, the king tried to have him killed. But Uriah heard about it and fled in fear to Egypt.

But King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt — Elnathan son of Achbor and some others with him — to Egypt.

They brought Uriah back from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who struck him down with a sword and had his body thrown into the common burial ground.

But Ahikam son of Shaphan used his influence to protect Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be killed.