Jeremiah

¹ This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

² “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.

³ The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess,’ says the Lord.”

⁴ These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:

⁵ “‘Cries of fear are heard— terror, not peace.

⁶ Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale?

⁷ None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.

⁸ ‘I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them.

⁹ and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

¹⁰ do not be dismayed, O Israel,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.

¹¹ declares the Lord. ‘Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’

¹² “‘Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing.

¹³ no remedy for your sore, no healing for you.

¹⁴ they care nothing for you. I have struck you as an enemy would and punished you as would the cruel, because your guilt is so great and your sins so many.

¹⁵ your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you.

¹⁶ all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil.

¹⁷ and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’

¹⁸ “‘I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings; the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will stand in its proper place.

¹⁹ and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.

²⁰ and their community will be established before me; I will punish all who oppress them.

²¹ their ruler will arise from among them. I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the Lord.

²² and I will be your God.’”

²³ will burst out in wrath, a driving wind swirling down on the heads of the wicked.

²⁴ until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand this.