Jeremiah 20:1-2, 8-11

Pashhur son of Immer was a priest and the temple overseer. When he heard what Jeremiah had prophesied, he became angry. So he arrested Jeremiah, beat him, and put him in stocks at the upper Benjamin Gate of YAHWEH’s temple.

Whenever I prophesy, you have me speak, “Violence and destruction!” I am ridiculed every time I proclaim your word. I get nothing but trouble and insults all day long. When I tell myself, “I’m not going to speak his message ever again or prophesy any more in his name,” then all at once you are within me like a burning, consuming fire deep in my bones. I try my best to hold your word inside, but I can’t hold it back any longer! For I heard them whispering behind my back: “Terror everywhere! That’s all he prophesies.” All my close friends watch for me to fall. “Let’s turn him in to the authorities,” they say. “Perhaps we can set a trap for him. Finally, we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” YAHWEH But YAHWEH is a mighty, fearless warrior standing at my side. My persecutors are the ones who will fall down and fail; disgraced by their failure, they will not succeed. Their shame will stick to them forever.