12. He told me to put the rags under my arms, so that the ropes wouldn't hurt me. I did this,
13. and they pulled me up out of the well. After that I was kept in the courtyard.
14. On another occasion King Zedekiah had me brought to him at the third entrance to the Temple, and he said, “I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the whole truth.”
15. I answered, “If I tell you the truth, you will put me to death, and if I give you advice, you won't pay any attention.”
16. So King Zedekiah promised me in secret, “I swear by the living God, the God who gave us life, that I will not put you to death or hand you over to the men who want to kill you.”