⁶ In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and ^[a]Gashmu says, that ^(A)you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. ⁷ You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning ^[b]you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” ⁸ Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are ^(B)inventing them ^[c]in your own mind.” ⁹ For all of them were trying to frighten us, ^[d]thinking, “^[e]They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, ^(C)O God, strengthen my hands.

¹⁰ When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, ^(D)who was ^[f]confined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” ¹¹ But I said, “^(E)Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple ^[g]to save his life? I will not go in.” ¹² Then I perceived ^[h]that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ¹³ He was hired for this reason, ^(F)that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.

¹⁸ Then they said, “Come and let us ^(A)devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the ^(B)law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor ^(C)counsel to the sage, nor the divine ^(D)word to the prophet! Come on and let us ^(E)strike at him with our tongue, and let us ^(F)give no heed to any of his words.”