Greek Text and English Translation of the Materials that precede 
the Short Version of the Paraleipomena Jeremiou in most Greek MSS 

Prepared by the Religious Studies 735 Seminar, Fall 1996, under 
the direction of Robert Kraft at the University of Pennsylvania
(copyright Robert Kraft, 15 October 1996) [updated 3 Dec 1966]


Date of reading on Menologion schedule: November 4 in many MSS
NOE/MBHROS: D/: [date from tt] 

Title: 
Narrative  
about the Lamentation of the Prophet Jeremiah over Jerusalem,
about the Destruction of Jerusalem,
and concerning the Trance of Abimelech.

DI+H/GHSIS 
EI)S TO\N QRH=NON TOU= PROFH/TOU I(EREMI/OU PERI\ TH=S I(EROUSALH\M: 
EI)S TH\N A)/LWSIN TAUTH=S: 
KAI\ PERI\ TH=S E)KSTA/SEWS A)BIME/LEX. 


1.1
This Jeremiah, the great prophet, 
who was from Anathoth [Jer 36/29.27; 1.1] the village [near Jerusalem], 
proclaimed/foretold many things concerning Jerusalem and Babylon, 
as also concerning the divine incarnation [ParJer 9], 
in which things the power of the prophecy was manifested. 

I+EREMI/AS OU(=TOS O( ME/GAS PR\O/FH/TH=S 
E)C ANAQW\Q TUGXA/NWN TH=S KW/MHS, 
PERI+ I(LH/M{OVERLINE} KAI\ BABULW=NOS PO/LLA\ PROHGO/REUSEN: 
W(SAU/TWS KAI\ PERI\ TH=S QEI/AS SARKO/SEWS: 
E)N OI(=S TO\ KRATAIO\N TH=S PROFHTEI/AS E)MFAI/NETAI: 

2.1 [Jer 20.1-2]
Once Paschor the son of Emer, governor of the house of the Lord, 
struck him [Jeremiah] hard 
and threw him into the trap-door/sluice 
as he was bewailing the destruction of Jerusalem. 

TOU=TON POTE\ PASXW\R O( UI(O\S E)MH/R O( TOU= OI)/KOU 
KU/{OVERLINE} H(GO/UMENOS TU/YAS SFODRW=S, 
EI)S TO\N KATARA/KTHN E)NE/BALEN 
WS TH=S I(LH/M{OVERLINE} PENQOU=NTA TH\N A(/LW/SIN: 

2.2
But as the divine punishment did not leave him in 
the trap-door/sluice, he announced to Paschor: 

W(S DE\ TOU=TON H( QEI/A DI/KH E)N TW=| KATARA/KTH| OU)K 
EI)/ASEN, AU)TO\S TW=| PASXWR\ A)PEFQE/GCATO: 

2.3 [Jer 20.3]
"Your name declares you to be Metoikos [resident alien] of this 
land, 

TO\ O)/NOMA/ SOU TH=S GH=S TAU/TH=S ME/TOIKO/N SE DIAGOREU/EI: 

2.4 [Jer 2.19]
and in this your apostasy will condemn/accuse you,

KA\I E)N TA)UTW=| E)LE/GCEI SE H( A)POSTASI/A SOU: 

2.5 [Jer 31/48.10] 
for cursed is the one 
who does the work of the Lord carelessly."  

DI+O\TI E)PIKATA/RATOS 
O( TO\ E)/RGON KU/{OVERLINE} A)MELW=S E)MPOREUO/MENOS:  

3.1 [Jer 1.3, 33/26.1; cf Lamentations preface]
Now in the days of Joakim the king, 
Jeremiah was lamenting Jerusalem. 

E)N DE\ TAI=S H(ME/RAIS I)WA)KEI\M +T\OU=/ BASILE/WS, 
E)QRH/NEI I(EREMI/AS TH\N I(LH\M{OVERLINE}: 

3.2 [see Jer 33/26.7-8, 11]
And the false prophets persuaded the priests to destroy him.

OI( DE\ YEUDOPROFH=TAI, TOU=TON DIOLE/SAI TOU/S I)EREI=S 
E)/PEIQON:   

3.3 [Jer 33/26.24]
But the son of Safan, Cherachikam [OG XEI\R AXIKAM (!)], 
being with Jeremiah, prevented the murder. 

O( DE\ UI(O\S SAFA=N XHRAXIKA\M, 
SUNW\N TW=| I(EREMI/A|, DI+EKW/LUE TO\N FO/NON: 

4.1 [Jer 34/27.1/2]
Then the Lord said to Jeremiah: 

TO/TE KS/{OVERLINE} PRO\S I(EREMI/AN E)/FH: 

4.2 [Jer 34/27.1/2]
"Make for yourself bonds -- namely, wooden [see OG var] bars 
around your neck, 

POI/HSO/N SEAUTW=| DESMOU\S: H)/TOI KLOIOU\S CULI/NOUS 
PERI\ TO\N TRA/XHLO/N SOU: 

4.3 [Jer 34/27.2/3]
and I will send you to the kingdom of Moab 
and Idoumia, Ammon and Tyre and Sidon." 

KA\I A)POSTELW= SE PRO\S TO\N BASI+LE/A MW/AB: 
KAI\ I)DOUMAI/AS A)MW=N K(AI)\ TU/ROU KAI\ SI+DW=NOS: 

4.4 
And when he had made these things, he put them on his own neck.

A(/TI+NA KAI\ POIH/SAS, E)PE/QHKE TW=| E(AUTOU= TRAXH/LW|: 

5.1 [Jer 35/28.1, 10-12]
Now Ananias the son of Azor the false prophet arose 
and when he had removed the bars from the throat [sic] of 
Jeremiah before the eyes of the people he broke them, saying: 

A)NASTA\S DE\ A)NANI/AS O( UI(O\S A)ZW\R O( YEUDOPR\O/FH/TH=S: 
KAI\ PERIE)LW=N TOU/S KLOIOU\S E)C AUXE/NOS I(EREMI/OU
E)P' O)FQALMW=N TOU LAOU=, SU+NE/TRIYE LE/GWN: 

[[skip to 6.25b in final editing 12/3/96]]

5.2 [Jer 35/28.11]
"Thus said the Lord to me, 
'I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon 
from the throat [sic] of all nations.'"  

OU(/TWS PRO/S ME KS/{OVERLINE} EI)=PE: 
SUNTRI/YW TO\N ZUGO/N BASILE/WS BABULW=NOS 
E)C AUXE/NOS PA/NTWN E)QNW=N: 

5.3 [Jer 35/28.12, 15]
Then Jeremiah said to the false prophet:

TO/TE PRO\S TO\N YEUDOPR\O/FH/THN FHSI\N I(EREMI/AS: 

5.4 [see Jer 35/28.15, 9.7/8; Ps 11/12.4/2, 30/31.19/18]
"Your lips are deceitful, like poison spewing from the heart;
But the things of truth are manifest. 

DOLIA/ SOU TA XEI/LH, W(S I)O\N TH=S KARDI/AS E)REUGOME/NHS: 
TA\ DE\ TH=S A)LHQEI/AS DIASAFOU/SHS: 

5.5 [Jer 35/28.13-14]
'In place of the wooden bars that you broke I will make iron ones,' 
says the Lord Almighty, 
'and I will put them on the neck of the nations. 

KLOIOU\S CULI/NOUS SUNE/TREYAS, A)NTI TOU/TWN SIDHR\OUS/ POIH/SW 
LE/GEI KS/{OVERLINE} PANTOKRA/TWR: 
KAI\ E)PI\ TO\N TRA/XHLON TW=N E)QNW=N E)\PIQH/SW, 

5.6 [Jer 35/28.16]
But you, Ananias, will speedily lose your soul/life.'"

SU\ DE\ TA/XION A)NANI/A TH\N YUXH\N A)POR(R(H/CEIS: 

5.7 [Jer 35/28.17]
And the deed followed the word, 
for in seven months he went away with the corpses. 

KA\I TW=| LO/GW| TO\ E)/RGON E)PHKOULOU/QEI: 
E)N GA\R E)PTA\ MHSI\N OU(=TOS TOI=S :TEQNEW=SIN :A(PE/REI: 

6.1 [Jer 39/32.1-2]
Now in the 18th year of Sedekia [sic] the king of Judah, 
when Jeremiah was bewailing Jerusalem, 
he was put away in prison. 

TW=| DE\ OKTW=| KAI\ DEKA/TW| E)/TEI SEDEKI/OU BASILE/WS I)OU/DA: 
I(EREMI/OU PENQOU=NTOS TH\N I(EROUSALH\M 
E)N EI(RKTH=| A)POTI/QETAI. 

6.2 [see Jer 39/32.7-8, 24-25, 44; 44/37.11-12]
The Chaldeans were already nearing the city 
but the prophet did not know how he might get out 
and depart to the land of Benjamin;

H)/DH TW=N XALDAI/WN TAU/TH| PROSEGGISA/NTWN, 
A)LL' OU)K OI)=D' O(/PWS E)CELQW\N O( PROFH/THS 
KAI\ A)PIW\N PRO\S GH=N BENIAMH\N 

6.3 [Jer 44/37.13-15]
as his need pressed, he was kept back by the people, 
smitten by the Chaldeans, and put away in prison. {??} 

XREI/AS AU)TO\N KATEPEIGOU/SHS KATASXEQEI\S U(PO\ TOU= LAOU= 
TW=N XALDAI/WN TU/PTETAI KAI\ E)N EI(RKTH=| A)POTI/QETAI. 

6.4 [Jer 44/37.17]
And when Sedekia had spent enough time there secretly, 
he took him up from the prison and said: 

KAI\ E)F' I(KANO\N E)KEI=SE DIATRI/YAS KRUFI/WS SEDEKI/AS 
A)NH/GAGEN AU)TO\N E)K TH=S EI(RKTH=S KAI/ FHSIN: 

6.5 [Jer 44/37.17]

"Insofar as you have been kindly treated by me,
tell what is about to happen regarding my kingdom."

W(S EU)= PEPONQW\S PAR' E)MOU= 
TO\ ME/LLON E)PI\ TH=S E)MH=S BASILEI/AS EI)PE/. 

6.6 [Jer ]
And the prophet:
"It is not I, king, who speaks, 
but the spirit speaks in me 
and what I have written I have written!" 

KAI\ O( PROFH/THS: 
OU)K E)GW/, BASILEU=, O( LALW=N, 
A)LLA\ TO\ PNEU=MA TO\ LALOU=N E)N E)MOI\ 
KAI\ A(\ GE/GRAFA GE/GRAFA. 

6.7 [Jer 44/37.21]
And because of these things, the guard/tower received him.

KAI\ E)PI\ TOU/TOIS TO\ FRO/RION :FROU/RION TOU=TON DE/XETAI. 

6.8 [Jer 45/38.4]
Now the slanderers again moved against him by saying to the king:

OI( DE\ DIABOLEI=S KAT' AU)TOU= PA/LIN W)/XLOUN TW=| BASILEI= 
LEGONTES: 

6.9 [Jer 45/38.4]
"Why does he, even while in prison, 
weaken the hearts of the soldiers 
by not proclaiming peace but rather troubling them? 

I(/NA TI/ OU(=TOS KAI\ E)N TH=| EI(RKTH=| W)\N 
TW=N POLEMISTW=N TA\S KARDI/AS E)KLU/EI 
MH\ KHRU/SSWN EI)RH/NHN, A)LLA\ MA=LLON TARA/SSWN; 

6.10
It is better that one should be killed than many."

KREI=SSON E(/NA A)NAIREQH=NAI U(PE\R POLLW=N. 

6.11 [Jer 45/38.5]
And the king:
"See, he is in your hands."

KAI\ O( BASILEU/S: 
I)DOU\ E)N TH=| XEIRI\ U(MW=N OU(=TOS. 

6.12 [Jer 45/38.6]
Then they threw Jeremiah into the pit of Melchios, 
in the mire of those who die. 

TO/TE: E)/R)R(IYAN E)N TW=| LA/KKW| MELXI/OU TO\N I(EREMI/AN 
E)N TW=| BORBO/RW| TW=N TEQNEW/TWN. 

6.13 [Jer 45/38.7-9]
When Abimelech learned this he said to the king:
"Why have you sinned against the man, king?" 

TOU=TO GNOU\S A)BIME/LEX EI)=PE TW=| BASILEI=: 
DIA\ TI/ E)PONHREU/SW KATA\ TOU= A)NDRO/S, BASILEU=; 

6.14 [Jer 45/38.10]
And the king (said) to him:
"I didn't want to do this, 
but was looked on with suspicion by the people. 

KAI\ O( BASILEU\S PRO\S AU)TO/N: 
OU)X E(KW\N TOU=TO E)POI/HSA, 
A)LL' U(FORW/MENOS TW=| LAW=|. 

6.15 [Jer 45/38.10]
So take with you thirty strong men 
and go and remove him from the pit." 

LA/BE OU)=N META/ SOU A)/NDRAS I)SXUROU\S TRIA/KONTA 
KAI\ A)PELQW\N A)NA/GAGE AU)TO\N E)K TOU= LA/KKOU. 

6.16 [Jer 45/38.11-13]
And quickly Abimelech, supplied with the assistance of God, 
removed the prophet unharmed.

KAI\ SPOUDH=| A)BIME/LEX XRHSA/MENOS SUNERGEI/A| QEOU= 
A)SINH= TO\N PROFH/THN A)NH/GAGEN.  

6.17 [Jer 45/38.14]
To whom the king drawing nearer said:
"Don't hide from me what I seek."

PRO\S O(\N O( BASILEU\S E)GGU/TERON PARASTA\S E)/FH: 
MH\ KRU/YH|S A)P' E)MOU= O(/PER E)PIZHTW=. 

6.18 [Jer 45/38.15]
And the prophet:
"Why do you resist the truth, king? 

KAI\ O( PROFH/THS: 
DIA\ TI/ A)POQH=NAI TH\N A)LH/QEIAN, BASILEU=S; 

6.19 [Jer 45/38.15]
I am not a lying/false messenger/spy, 
even if you condemn me to death." 

YEU/DOUS E)GW\ DIAGGELLEU\S OU)K EI)MI/, 
EI) KAI| QANA/TW| KATAKRINEI=S ME. 

6.20 [Jer 45/38.16]
And the king:
"As the God of our fathers lives, 
I will not kill you if you tell me anything, 
nor will I give you over to the hands of the men." 

KAI\ O( BASILEU/S: 
ZH=| O( QEO\S TO=N PATE/RWN H(MW=N, 
OU)K A)POKTENW= SE E)/I TI D' A)\N EI)/PH|S MOI, 
OU)DE\ :OU)DE\N E)N TAI=S XERSI\ TW=N A)NDRW=N E)/KDOTO/N SE 
POIH/SW. 

6.21 [Jer 45/38.17, 20]
Then Jeremiah said to the king:
"If you accept my counsel and do not go out to the Babylonians, 
your spirit will be saved and this city will not be destroyed.

TO/TE I(EREMI/AS E)/FH TW=| BASILEI=: 
E)A\N TH\N BOULH/N MOU KRATH/SH|S KAI\ MH\ E)CE/LQH|S EI)S TOU\S 
BABULWNI/OUS, SWQH/SETAI/ SOU TO\ PNEU=MA KAI\ H( PO/LIS AU(/TH 
OU)K A)POLEI=TAI. 

6.22 [Jer 45/38.18, 21-23]
But if you stand to join battle with them, 
know that you will not escape from their hands, 
but the city will also be wasted by fire." 

EI) DE\ TOU/TOIS PROSENANTIOU/MENOS STH=|S, 
GNW=QI O(/TI TA\S XEI=RAS AU)TW=N OU)K E)KFEU/CH|, 
A)LLA\ KAI\ H( PO/LIS PURO\S GENH/SETAI PARANA/LWMA. 

6.23 [Jer 45/38.24-26]
But supposing that the things spoken by the prophet were 
nonsense, Sedekia did not flee/escape from the hands of the 
Babylonians;

LH=RON DE\ TA\ TOU= PROFH/TOU SEDEKI/AS H(GHSA/MENOS R(H/MATA 
TW=N BABULWNI/WN TA\S XEI=RAS OU) DIE/FUGE: 

6.24 [Jer 46/39.1 = 52.4-7 = 2Kg 25.1-3]
For although they surrounded the city and held back its grain, 
it was not they that brought the fated famine to the city.  

PERISTOIXISAME/NWN GA\R E)KEI/NWN TH\N PO/LIN KAI\ TAU/THS 
KATASXO/NTWN TA\ SI=TA 
OU) TO\N TUXO/NTA LIMO\N TH=| PO/LEI PROSH/GAGON, 

6.25 [Jer 52.7 (46/39.4) = 2Kg 25.4]
But Sedekia being wary of the ruin within fled by night with 
those with him, 

SEDEKI/AS DE\ TO\N E)/NDON O)/LEQRON U(FORW/MENOS A)PODIDRA/SKEI 
NUKTO\S META\ TW=N SU\N AU)TW=|, 

6.26 [Jer 52.10 (46/39.6) = 2Kg 25.5-7]
and the Chaldeans pursuing took him and before 
his eyes killed his sons with the sword,

O(\N KAI\ SUNE/LABON DIW/CANTES OI( XALDAI=OI 
KAI\ E)P' O)FQALMW=N AU)TOU= TOU\S UI(OU\S AU)TOU= 
A)POTE/MNOUSI MAXAI/RA|, 

6.27 [Jer 52.11 (46/39.7) = 2Kg 25.7]
and they gouged out the pupils of Sedekia 
and led him bound to Babylonia 
and treated him as a plaything

SEDEKI/OU DE\ TA\S KO/RAS E)CW/RUCAN 
KAI\ DEDEME/NON EI)S BABULW=NA H)/GAGON 
KAI\ W(S PAI/GNION TOU=TON EI)=XON 

6.28 [Jer 52.11b]
and he remained among them until his final days.

KAI\ H(=N E)N AU)TOI=S E(/WS E)SXATHS H(ME/RAS AU)TOU=. 

7.1 [Jer 52.12-14 (46/39.8) = 2Kg 25.8-9]
Now Nabouzardan the chief cook/baker of the king 
entered Jerusalem and burned (it), 

O( DE\ NABOUZARDA\N O( A)RXIMA/GEIROS TOU= BASILE/WS 
TH\N I(EROUSALH\M EI)SELQO\N KATENE/PRHSE 

7.2 [Jer 52.13 (46/39.8) = 2Kg 25.9]
and the house of the Lord he left as a cloud of dust 
in accord with the voice of Jeremiah, 

KAI\ TO\N OI)=KON KURI/OU KONIORTO\N A)PETE/LESE 
KATA\ TH\N I(EREMI/OU FWNH/N, 

7.3 [Jer 52.17 = 2Kg 25.13-17]
and removed all the vessels to Babylon. 

PA=SAN DE\ TH\N A)POSKEUH\N EI)S BABULW=NA KATH/GAGON. 

8.1 [Jer 39/32.1-2]
But after 70 times the captivity again came up into Jerusalem 
as was revealed beforehand more clearly.

META\ DE\ E(BDOMH/KONTA XRO/NOUS PA/LIN A)NH=KTO H( AI)XMALWSI/A 
EI)S I(EROUSALH\M KAQW\S PLATU/TERON E)/MPROSQEN DHLWTH/SETAI, 

9.1
But before the destruction of Jerusalem the things spoken by the 
Lord to Jeremiah and how the destruction would happen are thus: 

PRO\ DE\ TH=S A(LW/SEWS I(EROUSALH\M TA\ LALHQW/NTA U(PO\ KURI/OU 
PRO\S I(EREMI/AN KAI\ O(/PWS H( A(/LWSIS GE/GONEN E)/XEI OU(/TWS. 

[then the short version of the text]