Read Scripturead-freewith Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Jeremiah 20
New International Version

### Jeremiah and Pashhur

20 When the priest Pashhur son of Immer,(A)the official(B)in charge of the temple of theLord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things,2 he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten(C)and put in the stocks(D)at the Upper Gate of Benjamin(E)at theLord’s temple.3 The next day, when Pashhur released him from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “TheLord’s name(F)for you is not Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side.(G)4 For this is what theLordsays: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; with your own eyes(H)you will see them fall by the sword of their enemies. I will give(I)all Judah into the hands of the king of Babylon, who will carry(J)them away to Babylon or put them to the sword.5 I will deliver all the wealth(K)of this city into the hands of their enemies—all its products, all its valuables and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. They will take it away(L)as plunder and carry it off to Babylon.6 And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into exile to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied(M)lies.’”

### Jeremiah’s Complaint

7 You deceived[a](N)me,Lord, and I was deceived[b];
you overpowered(O)me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed(P)all day long;
everyone mocks(Q)me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.(R)
So the word of theLordhas brought me
insult and reproach(S)all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word
or speak anymore in his name,”(T)
his word is in my heart like a fire,(U)
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;(V)
indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
“Terror(W)on every side!
Denounce(X)him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends(Y)
are waiting for me to slip,(Z)saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail(AA)over him
and take our revenge(AB)on him.”

11 But theLord(AC)is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors(AD)will stumble and not prevail.(AE)
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;(AF)
their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 LordAlmighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,(AG)
let me see your vengeance(AH)on them,
for to you I have committed(AI)my cause.

13 Sing(AJ)to theLord!
Give praise to theLord!
He rescues(AK)the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.(AL)

14 Cursed be the day I was born!(AM)
May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!
15 Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,
who made him very glad, saying,
“A child is born to you—a son!”
16 May that man be like the towns(AN)
theLordoverthrew without pity.
May he hear wailing(AO)in the morning,
a battle cry at noon.
17 For he did not kill me in the womb,(AP)
with my mother as my grave,
her womb enlarged forever.
18 Why did I ever come out of the womb(AQ)
to see trouble(AR)and sorrow
and to end my days in shame?(AS)

#### Footnotes

1. Jeremiah 20:7 Orpersuaded
2. Jeremiah 20:7 Orpersuaded

#### Cross references

1. Jeremiah 20:1:S 1Ch 24:14
2. Jeremiah 20:1:2Ki 25:18; Lk 22:52
3. Jeremiah 20:2:Dt 25:2-3; S Jer 1:19; 15:15; 37:15; 2Co 11:24
4. Jeremiah 20:2:S Job 13:27; Jer 29:26; Ac 16:24; Heb 11:36
5. Jeremiah 20:2:S Job 29:7; Jer 37:13; 38:7; Zec 14:10
6. Jeremiah 20:3:Hos 1:4
7. Jeremiah 20:3:S ver 10; S Ps 31:13
8. Jeremiah 20:4:Jer 29:21
9. Jeremiah 20:4:Jer 21:10; 25:9
10. Jeremiah 20:4:Jer 13:19; 39:9; 52:27
11. Jeremiah 20:5:S 2Ki 25:15; Jer 17:3
12. Jeremiah 20:5:S 2Ki 20:17
13. Jeremiah 20:6:S Jer 14:15; La 2:14
14. Jeremiah 20:7:S Ex 5:23; 22:16
15. Jeremiah 20:7:Isa 8:11; Am 3:8; 1Co 9:16
16. Jeremiah 20:7:Job 12:4
17. Jeremiah 20:7:S Job 17:2; S Ps 119:21
18. Jeremiah 20:8:Jer 6:7; 28:8
19. Jeremiah 20:8:S 2Ch 36:16; S Jer 6:10
20. Jeremiah 20:9:Jer 44:16
21. Jeremiah 20:9:S Ps 39:3; S Jer 4:19
22. Jeremiah 20:9:S Job 4:2; S Jer 6:11; Am 3:8; Ac 4:20
23. Jeremiah 20:10:Jer 6:25
24. Jeremiah 20:10:Ne 6:6-13; Isa 29:21
25. Jeremiah 20:10:S Job 19:14; S Jer 13:21
26. Jeremiah 20:10:S Ps 57:4; S Jer 18:22; Lk 11:53-54
27. Jeremiah 20:10:S 1Ki 19:2
28. Jeremiah 20:10:S 1Sa 18:25; S Jer 11:19
29. Jeremiah 20:11:Jer 1:8; Ro 8:31
30. Jeremiah 20:11:Jer 15:15; 17:18
31. Jeremiah 20:11:S Ps 129:2
32. Jeremiah 20:11:S Jer 7:19; 23:40
33. Jeremiah 20:12:S Ps 7:9; S Jer 17:10
34. Jeremiah 20:12:Dt 32:35; S Ro 12:19
35. Jeremiah 20:12:Ps 62:8; Jer 11:20
36. Jeremiah 20:13:S Isa 12:6
37. Jeremiah 20:13:Ps 34:6; 35:10
38. Jeremiah 20:13:S Ps 97:10
39. Jeremiah 20:14:S Job 3:8, 16; Jer 15:10
40. Jeremiah 20:16:S Ge 19:25
41. Jeremiah 20:16:S Jer 6:26
42. Jeremiah 20:17:S Job 3:16; S 10:18-19
43. Jeremiah 20:18:S Job 3:10-11; S Ecc 4:2
44. Jeremiah 20:18:S Ge 3:17; S Job 5:7
45. Jeremiah 20:18:S 1Ki 19:4; Ps 90:9; 102:3

New International Version(NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 byBiblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, Artisan Collection Bible, Gilded Edges, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Journal the Word Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Reflect, Take Notes, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $27.99
Save: $12.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, The Story, Hardcover, Comfort Print: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People
Retail: $19.98
Our Price: $7.50
Save: $12.48 (62%)
Buy Now
NIV Application Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Bringing the Ancient Message of the Bible into Your World
Retail: $54.99
Our Price: $35.00
Save: $19.99 (36%)
Buy Now
View more titles