Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 6th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Easy-to-Read Version
Jeremiah 18:20
I have done only good to them. It is not right for them to pay me back with evil. But they are preparing a death trap for me! Remember that I prayed to you for them. I asked only good for them. I tried to keep you from punishing them in anger.
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Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Should good be repaid with evil?Yet they have dug a pit for me.Remember how I stood before youto speak good on their behalf,to turn your anger from them.
Should good be repaid with evil?Yet they have dug a pit for me.Remember how I stood before youto speak good on their behalf,to turn your anger from them.
Hebrew Names Version
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
King James Version
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
English Standard Version
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
New American Standard Bible
Should good be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You To speak good in their behalf, So as to turn Your wrath away from them.
Should good be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You To speak good in their behalf, So as to turn Your wrath away from them.
New Century Version
Good should not be paid back with evil, but they have dug a pit in order to kill me. Remember that I stood before you and asked you to do good things for these people and to turn your anger away from them.
Good should not be paid back with evil, but they have dug a pit in order to kill me. Remember that I stood before you and asked you to do good things for these people and to turn your anger away from them.
Amplified Bible
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember [with compassion] that I stood before You To speak good on their behalf, To turn Your anger away from them.
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember [with compassion] that I stood before You To speak good on their behalf, To turn Your anger away from them.
World English Bible
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Shall euill be recompensed for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: remember that I stood before thee, to speake good for the, and to turne away thy wrath from them.
Shall euill be recompensed for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: remember that I stood before thee, to speake good for the, and to turne away thy wrath from them.
Legacy Standard Bible
Should good be repaid with evil?For they have dug a pit for me.Remember how I stood before YouTo speak good on their behalf,So as to turn away Your wrath from them.
Should good be repaid with evil?For they have dug a pit for me.Remember how I stood before YouTo speak good on their behalf,So as to turn away Your wrath from them.
Berean Standard Bible
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
Contemporary English Version
I tried to help them, but they are paying me back by digging a pit to trap me. I even begged you not to punish them.
I tried to help them, but they are paying me back by digging a pit to trap me. I even begged you not to punish them.
Complete Jewish Bible
Is good to be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit [to trap] me. Remember how I stood before you and spoke well of them, in order to turn your anger away from them?
Is good to be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit [to trap] me. Remember how I stood before you and spoke well of them, in order to turn your anger away from them?
Darby Translation
Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
George Lamsa Translation
Evil has been recompensed for good, for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee and spoke good for them to turn away thy wrath from them.
Evil has been recompensed for good, for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee and spoke good for them to turn away thy wrath from them.
Good News Translation
Is evil the payment for good? Yet they have dug a pit for me to fall in. Remember how I came to you and spoke on their behalf, so that you would not deal with them in anger.
Is evil the payment for good? Yet they have dug a pit for me to fall in. Remember how I came to you and spoke on their behalf, so that you would not deal with them in anger.
Lexham English Bible
Should good be repaid in place of evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember my standing before you to speak good for them, to avert your wrath from them.
Should good be repaid in place of evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember my standing before you to speak good for them, to avert your wrath from them.
Literal Translation
Should evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember, I stood before You to speak good concerning them, to turn Your wrath from them.
Should evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember, I stood before You to speak good concerning them, to turn Your wrath from them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Do they not recompence euell for good, when they dygg a pyt for my soule? Remembre, how that I stode before the, to speake for the, ad to turne awaye thy wrath from them.
Do they not recompence euell for good, when they dygg a pyt for my soule? Remembre, how that I stode before the, to speake for the, ad to turne awaye thy wrath from them.
American Standard Version
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Bible in Basic English
Is evil to be the reward of good? for they have made a deep hole for my soul. Keep in mind how I took my place before you, to say a good word for them so that your wrath might be turned away from them.
Is evil to be the reward of good? for they have made a deep hole for my soul. Keep in mind how I took my place before you, to say a good word for them so that your wrath might be turned away from them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before Thee to speak good for them, to turn away Thy wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before Thee to speak good for them, to turn away Thy wrath from them.
King James Version (1611)
Shall euill bee recompensed for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them, and to turne away thy wrath from them.
Shall euill bee recompensed for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them, and to turne away thy wrath from them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Shall they recompence euyll for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: Remember howe that I stoode before thee to speake good for them, and to turne away thy wrath from them.
Shall they recompence euyll for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: Remember howe that I stoode before thee to speake good for them, and to turne away thy wrath from them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Forasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they meant for me; remember that I stood before thy face, to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Forasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they meant for me; remember that I stood before thy face, to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
English Revised Version
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy fury from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy fury from them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whether yuel is yoldun for good, for thei han diggid a pit to my soule; haue thou mynde, that Y stoode in thi siyt, to speke good for hem, and to turne awei thin indignacioun fro hem.
Whether yuel is yoldun for good, for thei han diggid a pit to my soule; haue thou mynde, that Y stoode in thi siyt, to speke good for hem, and to turne awei thin indignacioun fro hem.
Update Bible Version
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Webster's Bible Translation
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, [and] to turn away thy wrath from them.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, [and] to turn away thy wrath from them.
New English Translation
Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me. Just remember how I stood before you pleading on their behalf to keep you from venting your anger on them.
Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me. Just remember how I stood before you pleading on their behalf to keep you from venting your anger on them.
New King James Version
Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.
Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.
New Living Translation
Should they repay evil for good? They have dug a pit to kill me, though I pleaded for them and tried to protect them from your anger.
Should they repay evil for good? They have dug a pit to kill me, though I pleaded for them and tried to protect them from your anger.
New Life Bible
Should bad be given in return for good? Yet they have dug a deep hole for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good for them, to turn Your anger away from them.
Should bad be given in return for good? Yet they have dug a deep hole for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good for them, to turn Your anger away from them.
New Revised Standard
Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Shall, evil, be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my life, - Remember how I stood before thee To speak in their behalf what was good! To turn back thine indignation from them.
Shall, evil, be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my life, - Remember how I stood before thee To speak in their behalf what was good! To turn back thine indignation from them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Shall evil be rendered for good, because they have digged a pit for my soul? Remember that I have stood in thy sight, to speak good for them, and to turn away thy indignation from them.
Shall evil be rendered for good, because they have digged a pit for my soul? Remember that I have stood in thy sight, to speak good for them, and to turn away thy indignation from them.
Revised Standard Version
Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Young's Literal Translation
Is evil recompensed instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before Thee to speak good of them, To turn back Thy wrath from them.
Is evil recompensed instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before Thee to speak good of them, To turn back Thy wrath from them.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Should good be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You To speak good on their behalf, So as to turn away Your wrath from them.
Should good be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You To speak good on their behalf, So as to turn away Your wrath from them.
Contextual Overview
18 Then the enemies of Jeremiah said, "Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah. We will always have a priest to tell us what the law says. We will still have wise men to advise us and prophets to tell us a message from God. So who needs Jeremiah? Let's tell lies to ruin him and stop listening to what he says." 19 Lord , listen to me! Listen to what my enemies are saying. 20 I have done only good to them. It is not right for them to pay me back with evil. But they are preparing a death trap for me! Remember that I prayed to you for them. I asked only good for them. I tried to keep you from punishing them in anger. 21 So now make their children starve to death! Let their enemies kill them with swords. Let their wives lose their children and husbands. Let their men die from disease, and let their young men be killed in battle. 22 Let them cry out in their houses, when you suddenly bring an enemy against them. Let it happen because they prepared a death trap for me. They hid traps for me to step in. 23 Lord , you know about their plans to kill me. So don't forgive their crimes or erase their sins. Make them fall down in defeat. Punish them in your anger!
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
evil: 1 Samuel 24:17-19, Psalms 35:12, Psalms 38:20, Psalms 109:4, Psalms 109:5, Proverbs 17:13, John 10:32, John 15:25
digged: Jeremiah 18:22, Job 6:27, Psalms 7:15, Psalms 35:7, Psalms 57:6, Psalms 119:95, Proverbs 26:27, Ecclesiastes 10:8
Remember: Jeremiah 7:16, Jeremiah 11:14, Jeremiah 14:7-11, Jeremiah 14:20-22, Jeremiah 15:1, Genesis 18:22-32, Psalms 106:23, Ezekiel 22:30, Ezekiel 22:31, Zechariah 3:1, Zechariah 3:2
Reciprocal: Exodus 21:33 - General 1 Samuel 19:4 - spake good 1 Samuel 25:21 - he hath requited 2 Chronicles 20:11 - how they reward us Nehemiah 6:14 - think thou Job 30:25 - Did not I Psalms 7:4 - If I Psalms 94:13 - until the pit Psalms 119:85 - The proud Psalms 119:86 - they Psalms 140:5 - The proud Proverbs 29:10 - but Jeremiah 11:20 - let Jeremiah 17:16 - neither Jeremiah 27:18 - let them Jeremiah 28:6 - the Lord perform Luke 13:8 - let Romans 10:1 - my heart's 1 Thessalonians 2:10 - how Hebrews 6:10 - to forget
Cross-References
Genesis 4:10
Then the Lord said, "What have you done? You killed your brother and the ground opened up to take his blood from your hands. Now his blood is shouting to me from the ground. So you will be cursed from this ground.
Then the Lord said, "What have you done? You killed your brother and the ground opened up to take his blood from your hands. Now his blood is shouting to me from the ground. So you will be cursed from this ground.
Genesis 13:13
The Lord knew that the people of Sodom were very evil sinners.
The Lord knew that the people of Sodom were very evil sinners.
Genesis 19:13
We are going to destroy this city. The Lord heard how evil this city is, so he sent us to destroy it."
We are going to destroy this city. The Lord heard how evil this city is, so he sent us to destroy it."
Isaiah 3:9
The look on their faces shows that they are guilty. They are like the people of Sodom; they don't care who sees their sin. But it will be very bad for them. They will get what they deserve.
The look on their faces shows that they are guilty. They are like the people of Sodom; they don't care who sees their sin. But it will be very bad for them. They will get what they deserve.
Isaiah 5:7
The vineyard that belongs to the Lord All-Powerful is the house of Israel. The grapevine, the plant he loves, is the man of Judah. The Lord hoped for justice, but there was only killing. He hoped for fairness, but there were only cries from people being treated badly.
The vineyard that belongs to the Lord All-Powerful is the house of Israel. The grapevine, the plant he loves, is the man of Judah. The Lord hoped for justice, but there was only killing. He hoped for fairness, but there were only cries from people being treated badly.
Jeremiah 14:7
"We know that this is our fault. We are now suffering because of our sins. Lord , do something to help us for the good of your name. We admit that we have left you many times. We have sinned against you.
"We know that this is our fault. We are now suffering because of our sins. Lord , do something to help us for the good of your name. We admit that we have left you many times. We have sinned against you.
James 5:4
People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. They are crying out against you. They harvested your crops. Now the Lord All-Powerful has heard their cries.
People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. They are crying out against you. They harvested your crops. Now the Lord All-Powerful has heard their cries.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Shall evil be recompensed for good?.... For all the good that I have done them, shall this be all the recompence I shall have, to be evilly treated by them, to have my good name, and even life, taken away by them? shall this be suffered to be done? and, if it is, shall it go unpunished? the prophet taxes the people with ingratitude, which he afterwards instances in, and proves:
for they have digged a pit for my soul; or "life"; they lay in wait to take it away; or they had formed a design against it, and brought a charge and accusation against him, in order to take it away, under colour of law and justice. Kimchi interprets it of poison, which they would have had him drank of:
remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, [and] to turn away thy wrath from them; he was an intercessor for them with God; pleaded with him on their behalf, that good things might be bestowed upon them, and that wrath might be averted from them; so Christ did for the Jews that crucified him, Luke 23:34; this is an instance of their ingratitude; that though he had been an advocate for them, stood in the gap between God and them, and was importunate for their good, yet this was all the recompense he had from them; they sought his life to take it away. This kindness of his for them was forgotten by them; but he trusts the Lord will remember it, and not suffer them to act the base part they intended; and now he determines no more to plead their cause, but to imprecate evils upon them, as follows:
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Jeremiah had been laboring earnestly to avert the ruin of his country, but the Jews treated him as farmers do some noxious animal which wastes their fields, and for which they dig pitfalls.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Jeremiah 18:20. They have digged a pit for my soul. — For my life; this they wish to take away.
Stood before thee to speak good for them — I was their continual intercessor.
