Jeremiah 27:6-17

New International Version

⁶ Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant^(A) Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.^{(C) 7} All nations will serve^(D) him and his son and his grandson until the time^(E) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate^(F) him.

⁸ “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish^(G) that nation with the sword,^(H) famine^(I) and plague,^(J) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. ⁹ So do not listen to your prophets,^(K) your diviners,^(L) your interpreters of dreams,^(M) your mediums^(N) or your sorcerers^(O) who tell you, ‘You will not serve^(P) the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰ They prophesy lies^(Q) to you that will only serve to remove^(R) you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. ¹¹ But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke^(S) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live^(T) there, declares the Lord.”’”

¹² I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke^(U) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.^{(V) 13} Why will you and your people die^(W) by the sword, famine and plague^(X) with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴ Do not listen^(Y) to the words of the prophets^(Z) who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies^(AA) to you. ¹⁵ ‘I have not sent^(AB) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.^(AC) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,^(AD) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”

¹⁶ Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles^(AE) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. ¹⁷ Do not listen^(AF) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.^(AG) Why should this city become a ruin?