18 ¹ The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh: 18 ² "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." 18 ³ So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. 18 ⁴ And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

18 ⁵ Then the word of Yahweh came to me: 18 ⁶ "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? says Yahweh. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 18 ⁷ If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 18 ⁸ and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will repent of the evil that I intended to do to it. 18 ⁹ And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 18 ¹⁰ and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will repent of the good which I had intended to do to it. 18 ¹¹ Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: 'Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I am shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.'

18 ¹² "But they say, 'That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.'