you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
The most striking thing here is that God isn't just reacting to their sin; He's specifically calling them out for denying their sin. Their claim of innocence, even after experiencing His judgment, is presented not as a mistake, but as the very reason He will bring them to account.
you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Judah, despite ongoing judgment and warnings, continue to insist on their own innocence and believe God's anger has passed because of superficial reforms. Jeremiah reveals that this self-deception is precisely why God will bring them to judgment, because their denial of sin prevents any true repentance or healing. This bold assertion of innocence, even in the face of divine displeasure, highlights their deep spiritual blindness and their refusal to acknowledge their true condition.
You say, 'I'm not guilty, God's anger has passed me by.' But God's response is a stark warning: 'I will bring you to judgment for saying, 'I have not sinned.' How can this be?
This verse reveals a dangerous spiritual condition: believing you are innocent in God's eyes, even when you've clearly sinned. The people of Judah, especially after King Josiah's reforms, felt they had done enough to appease God. They might have stopped the most obvious forms of idolatry, but their hearts remained unchanged.
The Illusion of External Change
God's response is not to ignore this claim but to bring them to judgment precisely because of it. Their self-deception makes them accountable.
God doesn't just let self-deception slide. He promises to 'plead' or bring judgment against those who falsely claim innocence.
Ask a follow-up
The phrase 'I will plead with thee' is powerful. It signifies God taking them to court. He isn't just passively observing; He's actively bringing charges.
The Nature of God's Plea
Understand the original words
nāqî · Hebrew Adjective
Cleanness from guilt or moral stain; when used by sinful humans, it often reflects a hardened heart or self-deception regarding their standing before God.
mishpāṭ · Hebrew Noun
A formal, divine decree or legal proceeding in which God evaluates the actions of individuals or nations, resulting in the manifestation of His justice and the determination of consequences.
chāṭā’ · Hebrew Verb
To miss the mark, to deviate from the standard of God’s law, or to rebel against His character; it involves both the act of wrongdoing and the internal state of alienation from God.
This verse directly addresses the people of Judah during the precarious period following Josiah's reforms and death, especially as Babylonian power looms. They mistakenly believe their superficial return to worship has made them innocent, but God's judgment is coming because they refuse to acknowledge their deeper, persistent sin.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, serving as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 640-609 BC
Reign of Josiah
King Josiah institutes a significant religious reformation, purging idolatry and restoring worship in Jerusalem, based on the rediscovered Book of the Law.
c. 622 BC
Discovery of the Law
The Book of the Law is found in the Temple during repairs. This discovery sparks Josiah's intense religious reforms and a renewed covenant.
609 BC
Death of Josiah
King Josiah is killed in battle at Megiddo while attempting to stop the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II's advance. This is a devastating blow to Judah's stability and reform efforts.
c. 609-597 BC
Reign of Jehoiakim
Judah's political and spiritual decline resumes under Josiah's successor, Jehoiakim, marked by tribute payments to Egypt and later Babylon, and resistance to prophetic warnings.
597 BC— this verse
First Deportation to Babylon
Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar II conquer Jerusalem, deporting King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens. This marks a significant loss of sovereignty and hope for Judah.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar II destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population to Babylon, bringing an end to the Davidic monarchy.
This passage echoes the theme of accountability, stating 'Woe to the wicked! Disaster is sure to come! Paybacks are deserved, and they will get what they deserve.' It highlights that despite claims of innocence, God's judgment will bring about due consequences for wrongdoing.
Luke 18:9-14The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector starkly contrasts self-righteousness with genuine repentance. The Pharisee, like the people in Jeremiah, claims innocence and thanks God he's not like others, while the tax collector admits his sin and finds mercy, showing that denying sin leads to judgment, not justification.
1 John 1:8-10This New Testament passage directly addresses the danger of self-deception regarding sin. It states that claiming to be without sin is lying and deceiving oneself, whereas confessing our sins leads to God's faithfulness and forgiveness, mirroring Jeremiah's warning against denying sin.
Romans 3:20This verse states that 'no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.' It underscores that the law reveals sin, making it impossible to claim innocence based on outward actions, a truth Jeremiah is confronting his people with.
barnesJeremiah 2:35: "Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned."
Because I am innocent - Rather, But "I am innocent," or, "I am acquitted." Those blood-stains cannot be upon my skirts, because now, in king Josiah's days, the idolatry of Manasseh has been put away. Shall turn from me - Or, has turned away "from me." Plead - Or, enter into judgment.
pulpitJeremiah 2:35: "Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned."
Verse 35. - Because. This "because" is misleading; there is no argument, but the statement of a supposed fact. The particle so rendered merely serves to introduce the speech of the Jews (like ὅτι). Shall turn; rather, hath turned. Judah had so long been undisturbed by any foreign power, that the people fancied the promises of Deute…
The most striking thing here is that God isn't just reacting to their sin; He's specifically calling them out for denying their sin. Their claim of innocence, even after experiencing His judgment, is presented not as a mistake, but as the very reason He will bring them to account.
The people of Judah, despite ongoing judgment and warnings, continue to insist on their own innocence and believe God's anger has passed because of superficial reforms. Jeremiah reveals that this self-deception is precisely why God will bring them to judgment, because their denial of sin prevents any true repentance or healing. This bold assertion of innocence, even in the face of divine displeasure, highlights their deep spiritual blindness and their refusal to acknowledge their true condition.
The people of Judah, despite ongoing judgment and warnings, continue to insist on their own innocence and believe God's anger has passed because of superficial reforms. Jeremiah reveals that this self-deception is precisely why God will bring them to judgment, because their denial of sin prevents any true repentance or healing. This bold assertion of innocence, even in the face of divine displeasure, highlights their deep spiritual blindness and their refusal to acknowledge their true condition.
"you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’" — The most striking thing here is that God isn't just reacting to their sin; He's specifically calling them out for denying their sin. Their claim of innocence, even after experiencing His judgment,…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026