If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.
Parallel translations
- WEB If I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I can’t.
- KJV Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
- NKJV Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.
- NASB But if I say, “I will not remember Him Nor speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am tired of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.
- NLT But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When Jeremiah resolves to stop speaking, God's word becomes a fire in his bones that he cannot hold in. The call is irresistible.
Overview
Tempted to fall silent under persecution, the prophet finds the word of God burning within him so that he cannot keep quiet. This vivid confession reveals both the compelling power of God's word and the genuine struggle of the one who bears it. It testifies that true prophetic ministry is not self-generated but a divine constraint, like Paul's woe to me if I do not preach (1 Corinthians 9:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 39:3My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:
- Job 32:18–20For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.
- Acts 4:20For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
- 1 Cor 9:16–17Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
- Ezek 3:14So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.
- Acts 17:16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.
- Jer 6:11But I am full of the LORD’s wrath; I am tired of holding it back. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the young men gathered together. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old and the very old alike.
- 2 Cor 5:13–15If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
- Luke 9:62Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
- John 1:2–3He was with God in the beginning.
- John 4:2–3(although it was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples),
- Acts 18:5And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
- 1 Kgs 19:3–4And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
- Acts 15:37–38Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 20:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.