What does “prosper” mean in Jer. 29:11?

Jer. 29:11 (NIV) says:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

If a verse is a difficult to understand, sometimes it can be helpful to look the verse up in a different version of the Bible. BibleGateway.com, for example, is useful for comparing different versions (simply select a version from the drop down box on the right).

The ESV translates the verse like this:¹

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

The KJV:²

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.

The NLT:³

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

In Jer. 29:11, God is saying that his plans for his people are good plans — God’s people may face difficulties in life, but God plans on blessing them with peace and safety.

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Footnotes:

1. ESV results using BibleGateway.com
2. KJV results using BibleGateway.com
3. NLT results using BibleGateway.com