Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man is not worthy of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God!”
Parallel translations
- WEB Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: “This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.”
- KJV Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.
- NKJV So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
- NASB Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “No death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
- NLT Then the officials and the people said to the priests and prophets, “This man does not deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
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
The officials and people reverse their verdict, declaring Jeremiah not worthy of death because he spoke in God's name. The truth of his commission wins his acquittal.
Overview
A remarkable shift occurs as the very crowd that demanded his death now recognizes divine authority in his words. The princes side with the prophet against the religious establishment. This God-given deliverance shows the Lord protecting His servant in answer to his faithfulness. It illustrates that no weapon formed against God's true messenger ultimately prospers (Isaiah 54:17).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Acts 23:29I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
- Acts 25:25But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
- Acts 23:9A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
- Acts 5:34–39But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time.
- Jer 36:25Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.
- Jer 36:19Then the officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah must hide yourselves and tell no one where you are.”
- Luke 23:14–15and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him.
- Matt 27:23–24“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
- Acts 26:31–32On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
- Luke 23:47When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
- Matt 27:54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
- Luke 23:41We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
- Prov 16:7When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
- Jer 38:7–13Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,
- Esth 4:14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
- Jer 26:11Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man is worthy of death, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 26:16 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.