An everlasting covenant: This is the “new covenant” referred to in 31.31; see also Isa 55.3; Ezek 16.60; 37.26.

The remainder of the verse explains the nature of the covenant, and is so indicated by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, both of which punctuate the verse by placing a colon after “covenant.” Translators can also begin here a new sentence, such as “The covenant I will make is that I will….”

The last half of this verse expresses essentially the same concept as in 31.33: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

I will put the fear of me in their hearts (New English Bible “I will fill their hearts with fear of me”) is extremely awkward, and so Good News Translation renders “I will make them fear me with all their heart.” As in the previous verse, fear can be expressed as “honor” or “respect.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .