A reading from the book of Jeremiah

The word that came to Jeremiah

concerning all the people of Judah

in the fourth year of Jehoiakim,

the son of Josiah King of Judah,

that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,

which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah

and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

For 23 years, from the 13th year of Josiah the son of Ammon, King of Judah, to this day,

the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened.

You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear,

although the Lord persistently sent to you all his servants, the prophets,

saying,

Turn now every one of you from his evil way and evil deeds,

and dwell upon the land that the Lord has given to you and your

fathers from of old and forever.

Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work

of your hands.

Then I will do you no harm.

Yet you have not listened to me, declares the Lord,

that you might provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.

Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts,

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