1. At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord:
2. “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all Judah’s cities that are coming to worship there. Do not hold back a word.
3. Perhaps they will listen and return — each from his evil way of life — so that I might relent concerning the disaster that I plan to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.