⁴ This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵ “Build houses and live in them.^(A) Plant gardens and eat their produce. ⁶ Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. ⁷ Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf,^(B) for when it has prosperity, you will prosper.”

⁸ For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you^(C) and your diviners deceive you,^(D) and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them, ⁹ for they are prophesying falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them.”^(E) This is the Lord’s declaration.

¹⁰ For this is what the Lord says: “When 70 years for Babylon are complete,^(F) I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you”^(G)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.