Jeremiah 29:11 Text
King James Version (KJV)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD , thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
World English Bible (WEB)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says Yahweh, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.
What Jeremiah 29:11 Means
This verse is often printed on graduation cards as a promise of personal success, but it was first spoken to people in exile. God says he knows the plans he has for them, plans for peace and not harm, giving a future and a hope. The Hebrew word often rendered "peace" is shalom, which means wholeness and well-being more than quiet. The KJV phrase "an expected end" is an older way of saying a hoped-for outcome, which the WEB renders "hope and a future." The promise is real, but it was made to a particular community, and it came with a long wait: the verse just before speaks of seventy years in Babylon, and the verses after speak of seeking God and being restored. Most readers therefore take it as a statement of God's good intentions toward his people, not a guarantee that every plan will go smoothly.
Context of Jeremiah 29:11
These words come from a letter the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to Jewish exiles taken to Babylon around 597 BC. Earlier in the chapter, he tells them to build houses, plant gardens, and seek the good of the city where they now live, because the exile will last a long time. After this verse, God says that when they call on him and seek him with their whole heart, he will listen and eventually bring them home. To read the whole book, see random verse from Jeremiah.
How to Apply Jeremiah 29:11
Take this verse as comfort for a slow season, not a forecast. If you are waiting through a job loss, a move you did not choose, or a long illness, it says God has not forgotten you. Like the exiles, you can still plant gardens: do ordinary good where you are, pray, and trust that hope is being kept for you.
Related Verses
- Jeremiah 29:12-13 – Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me , when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
- Romans 15:13 – Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
- Lamentations 3:22-23 – It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
- Psalm 40:1-3 – I waited patiently for the LORD ; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it , and fear, and shall trust in the LORD .
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Hope, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the context of Jeremiah 29:11?
It comes from a letter to Jewish exiles in Babylon. God told them to settle down and live faithfully, and promised that after about seventy years he would bring them back. It was a promise to a community in hardship.
Is Jeremiah 29:11 a promise for me today?
Many Christians see it as a window into God's character: he has good purposes for his people. But it was written to Israel in exile, so it is wise not to read it as a guarantee that life will work out as you plan.
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