1. The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said,
2. “Go to the potter’s house. There I will give you my message.”
3. I went to the potter’s house, and he was working there at his wheel.
4. Whenever a clay pot he was working on was ruined, he would rework it into a new clay pot the way he wanted to make it.
5. The Lord spoke his word to me. The Lord asked,
6. “Nation of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter does with clay? Nation of Israel, you are like the clay in the potter’s hands.
7. “At one time I may threaten to tear up, break down, and destroy a nation or a kingdom.
8. But suppose the nation that I threatened turns away from doing wrong. Then I will change my plans about the disaster I planned to do to it.
9. “At another time I may promise to build and plant a nation or a kingdom.
10. But suppose that nation does what I consider evil and doesn’t obey me. Then I will change my plans about the good that I promised to do to it.
11. “Now say to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: I’m going to prepare a disaster and make plans against you. Turn from your evil ways, change your lives, and do good.’