耶利米書40:1-6

40:1 耶利米鎖在耶路撒冷和猶大被擄到巴比倫的人中，護衛長尼布撒拉旦將他從拉瑪釋放以後，耶和華的話臨到耶利米。
40:2 護衛長將耶利米叫來，對他說：「耶和華─你的上帝曾說要降這禍與此地。
40:3 耶和華使這禍臨到，照他所說的行了；因為你們得罪耶和華，沒有聽從他的話，所以這事臨到你們。
40:4 現在我解開你手上的鍊子，你若看與我同往巴比倫去好，就可以去，我必厚待你；你若看與我同往巴比倫去不好，就不必去。看哪，全地在你面前，你以為哪裡美好，哪裡合宜，只管上那裡去吧！」
40:5 耶利米還沒有回去，護衛長說：「你可以回到沙番的孫子亞希甘的兒子基大利那裡去；現在巴比倫王立他作猶大城邑的省長。你可以在他那裡住在民中，不然，你看哪裡合宜就可以上那裡去。」於是護衛長送他糧食和禮物，釋放他去了。
40:6 耶利米就到米斯巴見亞希甘的兒子基大利，在他那裡住在境內剩下的民中。

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in fetters along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. ²The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God threatened this place with this disaster; ³and now the Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said, because all of you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice. Therefore this thing has come upon you. ⁴Now look, I have just released you today from the fetters on your hands. If you wish to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take good care of you; but if you do not wish to come with me to Babylon, you need not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. ⁵If you remain, then return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the towns of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or go wherever you think it right to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. ⁶Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

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    猶大被滅之後，巴比倫的護衛長尼布撒拉旦將他從拉瑪釋放，並且對他示好，對他說：「耶和華─你的上帝曾說要降這禍與此地。耶和華使這禍臨到，照他所說的行了；因為你們得罪耶和華，沒有聽從他的話，所以這事臨到你們。現在我解開你手上的鍊子，你若看與我同往巴比倫去好，就可以去，我必厚待你；你若看與我同往巴比倫去不好，就不必去。看哪，全地在你面前，你以為哪裡美好，哪裡合宜，只管上那裡去吧！」

    但是耶利米卻選擇和於下來的猶大百姓在一起，於是護衛長送他糧食和禮物，釋放他去了。他就去見亞希甘的兒子基大利，希望在餘下的百姓中，好來進行他未完成的工作！

    先知的任務就是宣告上帝的話語，不是行神蹟奇事！由耶利米的一生，更是看見成為先知的使命！求主保守我們，也能完成這樣的使命！