Lectionary Calendar
the First Sunday, December 28th, 2025
the Sunday after Christmas
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Geneva Bible

Jeremiah 21:8

And vnto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lorde, Beholde, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Salvation;   Thompson Chain Reference - Nebuchadnezzar;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Babylon;   Egypt;   Jeremiah;   Judah, tribe and kingdom;   Zedekiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Remnant;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Numbers (2);  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Four;   Literature, Sub-Apostolic;   Way;   Zedekiah (2);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Didache;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for July 25;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“But tell this people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
Hebrew Names Version
To this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
King James Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord ; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
English Standard Version
"And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord : Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
New American Standard Bible
"You shall also say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "Behold, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
New Century Version
"Also tell this to the people of Jerusalem: ‘This is what the Lord says: I will let you choose to live or die.
Amplified Bible
"And to this people you (Jeremiah) shall also say, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
World English Bible
To this people you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Legacy Standard Bible
"You shall also say to this people, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Berean Standard Bible
You are also to say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Contemporary English Version
Then I told them that the Lord had said: People of Jerusalem, I, the Lord , give you the choice of life or death.
Complete Jewish Bible
"And here is what you are to tell this people: ‘ Adonai says: "Look! I am presenting you with the way of life and the way of death.
Darby Translation
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Also tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Understand that I will let you choose to live or die.
George Lamsa Translation
And to this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Good News Translation
Then the Lord told me to say to the people, "Listen! I, the Lord , am giving you a choice between the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death.
Lexham English Bible
"And to this people you shall say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Look, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
Literal Translation
And you shall say to this people, So says Jehovah, Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And vnto this people thou shalt saye: Thus saieth the LORDE: beholde, I laye before you the waye of life and deeth.
American Standard Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Bible in Basic English
And to this people you are to say, The Lord has said, See, I put before you the way of life and the way of death.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And unto this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
King James Version (1611)
And vnto this people thou shalt say; Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And vnto this people thou shalt say, thus saith the Lorde: Beholde, I lay before you the way of life and death.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt say to this people, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I have set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
English Revised Version
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thou schalt seie to this puple, The Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! Y yyue bifore you the weie of lijf, and the weie of deth.
Update Bible Version
And to this people you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: Look, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Webster's Bible Translation
And to this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
New English Translation
"But tell the people of Jerusalem that the Lord says, ‘I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death.
New King James Version
"Now you shall say to this people, "Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
New Living Translation
"Tell all the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Take your choice of life or death!
New Life Bible
"Also tell the people, ‘The Lord says, "See, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
New Revised Standard
And to this people you shall say: Thus says the Lord : See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And unto this people, shalt thou say, Thus, saith Yahweh, - Behold me! setting before you the way, of life, and the way of death:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And to this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
Revised Standard Version
"And to this people you shall say: 'Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Young's Literal Translation
And unto this people thou dost say, Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am setting before you the way of life, And the way of death!
THE MESSAGE
"And then tell the people at large, ‘ God 's Message to you is this: Listen carefully. I'm giving you a choice: life or death. Whoever stays in this city will die—either in battle or by starvation or disease. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who have surrounded the city will live. You'll lose everything—but not your life. I'm determined to see this city destroyed. I'm that angry with this place! God 's Decree. I'm going to give it to the king of Babylon, and he's going to burn it to the ground.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You shall also say to this people, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Contextual Overview

8 And vnto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lorde, Beholde, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. 9 He that abideth in this citie, shall dye by the sword and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Caldeans, that besiege you, he shall liue, and his life shalbe vnto him for a pray. 10 For I haue set my face against this citie, for euill and not for good, saith the Lorde: it shalbe giuen into the hande of the King of Babel, and he shall burne it with fire. 11 And say vnto the house of the King of Iudah, Heare ye the worde of the Lorde. 12 O house of Dauid, thus saith the Lorde, Execute iudgement in the morning, and deliuer the oppressed out of the hande of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire and burne, that none can quench it, because of the wickednes of your workes. 13 Beholde, I come against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, & rocke of the plaine, saith the Lord, which say, Who shall come downe against vs? or who shall enter into our habitations? 14 But I wil visite you according to the fruite of your workes, saith the Lord, and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall deuoure rounde about it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I set: Deuteronomy 11:26, Deuteronomy 30:15, Deuteronomy 30:19, Isaiah 1:19, Isaiah 1:20

Reciprocal: Proverbs 6:23 - the way Proverbs 15:24 - way Jeremiah 38:2 - He Jeremiah 38:17 - If thou Ezekiel 18:31 - for why Micah 6:16 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 19:3
Then he preassed vpon them earnestly, and they turned in to him, and came to his house, and he made them a feast, and did bake vnleauened bread, and they did eate.
Genesis 26:30
Then hee made them a feast, and they dyd eate and drinke.
Genesis 29:22
Wherefore Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Genesis 40:20
And so the third day, which was Pharaohs birthday, hee made a feast vnto all his seruants: and hee lifted vp the head of the chiefe butler, and the head of the chiefe baker among his seruants.
Judges 14:10
So his father went down vnto the woman, and Samson made there a feast: for so vsed the yong men to doe.
Judges 14:12
Then Samson sayd vnto them, I will nowe put forth a riddle vnto you: and if you can declare it me within seuen dayes of the feast, and finde it out, I will giue you thirty sheetes, and thirtie change of garments.
1 Samuel 1:22
But Hannah went not vp: for she sayd vnto her husband, I will tarie vntill the childe be weined, then I will bring him that hee may appeare before the Lord, and there abide for euer.
1 Samuel 25:36
So Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he made a feast in his house, like the feast of a King, and Nabals heart was mery within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore shee tolde him nothing, neither lesse nor more, vntil the morning arose.
2 Samuel 3:20
So Abner came to Dauid to Hebron, hauing twentie men with him, and Dauid made a feast vnto Abner, and to the men that were with him.
1 Kings 3:15
And when Salomon awoke, behold, it was a dreame, and he came to Ierusalem, and stoode before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord, and offred burnt offrings and made peace offrings, and made a feast to all his seruants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And unto the people thou shalt say, thus saith the Lord,.... These are the words, not of the prophet to the messengers of the king, ordering or advising them what they each of them should say to the people; for the message by them is finished; but they are the words of the Lord to the prophet, directing him what he should say to the people at this critical juncture:

behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death; the way how to preserve their lives; and which, if they did not choose to take, would be inevitable death. The allusion seems to be to a phrase used by Moses, when he gave the law; obedience to which would issue in life, and disobedience in death, Deuteronomy 30:15.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare the marginal reference; but here the alternative is a life saved by desertion to the enemy, or a death by famine, pestilence, and the sword within the walls.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 21:8. Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. — Meaning escape or destruction in the present instance. This is explained in the next verse.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile