Baruch 6:1–73

¹ A copy of a letter that Jeremy sent to those who were to be led captives into Babylon by the king of the Babylonians, to give them the message that God commanded him. (WEB) ² Because of the sins which you have committed before God, you will be led away captives to Babylon by Nabuchodonosor king of the Babylonians. (WEB) ³ So when you come to Babylon, you will remain there many years, and for a long season, even for seven generations. After that, I will bring you out peacefully from there. (WEB) ⁴ But now you will see in Babylon gods of silver, gold, and wood carried on shoulders, which cause the nations to fear. (WEB) ⁵ Beware therefore that you in no way become like these foreigners. Don’t let fear take hold of you because of them when you see the multitude before them and behind them, worshiping them. (WEB) ⁶ But say in your hearts, “O Lord, we must worship you.” (WEB) ⁷ For my angel is with you, and I myself care for your souls. (WEB) ⁸ For their tongue is polished by the workman, and they themselves are overlaid with gold and with silver; yet they are only fake, and can’t speak. (WEB) ⁹ And taking gold, as if it were for a virgin who loves to be happy, they make crowns for the heads of their gods. (WEB) ¹⁰ Sometimes also the priests take gold and silver from their gods, and spend it on themselves. (WEB) ¹¹ They will even give some of it to the common prostitutes. They dress them like men with garments, even the gods of silver, gods of gold, and gods of wood. (WEB) ¹² Yet these gods can’t save themselves from rust and moths, even though they are covered with purple garments. (WEB) ¹³ They wipe their faces because of the dust of the temple, which is thick upon them. (WEB) ¹⁴ And he who can’t put to death one who offends against him holds a sceptre, as though he were judge of a country. (WEB) ¹⁵ He has also a dagger in his right hand, and an axe, but can’t deliver himself from war and robbers. (WEB) ¹⁶ By this they are known not to be gods. Therefore don’t fear them. (WEB) ¹⁷ For like a vessel that a man uses is worth nothing when it is broken, even so it is with their gods. When they are set up in the temples, their eyes are full of dust through the feet of those who come in. (WEB) ¹⁸ As the courts are secured on every side upon him who offends the king, as being committed to suffer death, even so the priests secure their temples with doors, with locks, and bars, lest they be carried off by robbers. (WEB) ¹⁹ They light candles for them, yes, more than for themselves, even though they can’t see one. (WEB) ²⁰ They are like one of the beams of the temple. Men say their hearts are eaten out when things creeping out of the earth devour both them and their clothing. They don’t feel it (WEB) ²¹ when their faces are blackened through the smoke tha… (WEB)