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False Prophets to be Punished
11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of these people.(A) 12 If they fast, I will not hear their cry of despair. If they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. Rather, I will finish them off by sword, famine, and plague.”(B)
13 And I replied, “Oh no, Lord God! The prophets are telling them, ‘You won’t see sword or suffer famine. I will certainly give you true peace in this place.’”(C)
14 But the Lord said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in My name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit(D) of their own minds.
15 “Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, though I did not send them, and who say, ‘There will never be sword or famine in this land.’ By sword and famine these prophets will meet their end. 16 The people they are prophesying to will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them(E)—they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them.”
Jeremiah’s Request
17 You are to speak this word to them:
Let my eyes overflow with tears;
day and night may they not stop,(F)
for the virgin daughter of my people
has been destroyed by a great disaster,(G)
an extremely severe wound.(H)
18 If I go out to the field,
look—those slain by the sword!
If I enter the city,
look—those ill(I) from famine!
For both prophet and priest
travel to a land they do not know.
19 Have You completely rejected Judah?
Do You detest(J) Zion?
Why do You strike us
with no hope of healing for us?
We hoped for peace,
but there was nothing good;
for a time of healing,
but there was only terror.(K)
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,
the guilt of our fathers;(L)
indeed, we have sinned against You.
21 Because of Your name, don’t despise us.
Don’t disdain Your glorious throne.(M)
Remember Your covenant(N) with us;
do not break it.
22 Can any of the worthless idols of the nations(O) bring rain?
Or can the skies alone give showers?
Are You not the Lord our God?
We therefore put our hope in You,(P)
for You have done all these things.
The Lord’s Negative Response
15 Then the Lord said to me: “Even if(Q) Moses and(R) Samuel should(S) stand before Me,(T) My compassions would not reach out to these people. Send them from My presence, and let them go. 2 If they ask you, ‘Where will we go?’ you must tell them: This is what the Lord says:
Those destined for death,(U) to death;
those destined for the sword, to the sword.
Those destined for famine, to famine;
those destined for captivity, to captivity.
3 “I will ordain four kinds[a] of judgment for them”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away,(V) and the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land(W) to devour and destroy. 4 I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh(X) son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
5 Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem?(Y)
Who will show sympathy toward you?(Z)
Who will turn aside
to ask about your welfare?
6 You have left Me.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
You have turned your back,
so I have stretched out My hand against you
and destroyed you.
I am tired of showing compassion.
7 I scattered them with a winnowing fork
at the gates of the land.
I made them childless; I destroyed My people.
They would not turn from their ways.(AA)
8 I made their widows more numerous
than the sand of the seas.(AB)
I brought a destroyer at noon
against the mother of young men.
I suddenly released on her
agitation and terrors.
9 The mother of seven grew faint;(AC)
she breathed her last breath.
Her sun set while it was still day;
she was ashamed and humiliated.
The rest of them I will give over to the sword
in the presence of their enemies.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Jeremiah’s Complaint
10 Woe is me, my mother,
that you gave birth to me,(AD)
a man who incites dispute and conflict
in all the land.
I did not lend or borrow,
yet everyone curses me.(AE)
The Lord’s Response
11 The Lord said:
I will certainly set you free and care for you.[b]
I will certainly intercede for you
in a time of trouble,
in your time of distress, with the enemy.
12 Can anyone smash iron,
iron from the north, or bronze?
13 I will give up your wealth
and your treasures as plunder,
without cost,(AF) for all your sins
in all your borders.
14 Then I will make you serve your enemies[c]
in a land you do not know,
for My anger will kindle a fire
that will burn against you.(AG)
Jeremiah’s Prayer for Vengeance
15 You know,(AH) Lord;
remember me and take note of me.
Avenge me against my persecutors.(AI)
In Your patience,[d] don’t take me away.
Know that I suffer disgrace for Your honor.(AJ)
16 Your words were found, and I ate them.(AK)
Your words became a delight to me
and the joy of my heart,
for I am called by Your name,(AL)
Yahweh God of Hosts.
17 I never sat with the band of revelers,
and I did not celebrate with them.
Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone,(AM)
for You filled me with indignation.
18 Why has my pain become unending,
my wound incurable,(AN)
refusing to be healed?
You truly have become like a mirage to me—
water that is not reliable.
Jeremiah Told to Repent
19 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
If you return, I will restore you;
you will stand in My presence.
And if you speak noble words,
rather than worthless ones,
you will be My spokesman.(AO)
It is they who must return to you;
you must not return to them.
20 Then I will make you a fortified wall of bronze
to this people.
They will fight against you
but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you.(AP)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
21 I will deliver you from the power of evil people
and redeem you from the control of the ruthless.
No Marriage for Jeremiah
16 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “You must not marry or have sons or daughters in this place. 3 For this is what the Lord says concerning sons and daughters born in this place as well as concerning the mothers who bear them and the fathers who father them in this land: 4 They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried but will be like manure on the face of the earth.(AQ) They will be finished off by sword and famine. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land.(AR)
5 “For this is what the Lord says: Don’t enter a house where a mourning feast is taking place.[e] Don’t go to lament or sympathize with them, for I have removed My peace from these people”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“as well as My faithful love and compassion.(AS) 6 Both great and small will die in this land without burial. No lament will be made for them, nor will anyone cut himself or(AT) shave his head for them.[f] 7 Food won’t be provided for the mourner(AU) to comfort him because of the dead. A cup of consolation won’t be given him because of the loss of his father or mother. 8 You must not enter the house where feasting is taking place to sit with them to eat and drink. 9 For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am about to eliminate from this place, before your very eyes and in your time, the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the bride.(AV)
Abandoning the Lord and His Law
10 “When you tell these people all these things, they will say to you, ‘Why has the Lord declared all this great disaster against us?(AW) What is our guilt? What is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ 11 Then you will answer them: Because your fathers abandoned Me”(AX)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and followed other gods, served them, and worshiped them.(AY) Indeed, they abandoned Me and did not keep My instruction. 12 You did more evil than your fathers.(AZ) Look, each one of you was following the stubbornness of his evil heart, not obeying Me. 13 So I will hurl you from this land into a land that you and your fathers are not familiar with.(BA) There you will worship other gods(BB) both day and night, for I will not grant you grace.[g]
14 “However, take note! The days are coming”—the Lord’s declaration—“when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites from the land of Egypt,’(BC) 15 but rather, ‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites from the land of the north(BD) and from all the other lands where He had banished them.’ For I will return them to their land that I gave to their ancestors.(BE)
9 For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers. Working(A) night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. 10 You are witnesses,(B) and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously,(C) and blamelessly(D) we conducted ourselves with you believers. 11 As you know, like a father with his own children,(E) 12 we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God,(F) who calls you into His own kingdom(G) and glory.(H)
Reception and Opposition to the Message
13 This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is,(I) the message of God,(J) which also works effectively in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea,(K) since you have also suffered(L) the same things from people of your own country,(M) just as they did from the Jews 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus(N) and the prophets and persecuted us;(O) they displease God and are hostile to everyone, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are always completing the number of their sins,(P) and wrath has overtaken them at last.[a]
Paul’s Desire to See Them
17 But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart(Q)), we greatly desired and made every effort to return(R) and see you face to face. 18 So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan(S) hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy(T) or crown(U) of boasting(V) in the presence of our Lord(W) Jesus at His coming?(X) Is it not you?(Y) 20 For you are our glory(Z) and joy!
Anxiety in Athens
3 Therefore, when we could no longer stand it, we thought it was better to be left alone in Athens.(AA) 2 And we sent Timothy,(AB) our brother and God’s coworker[b] in the gospel of Christ,(AC) to strengthen and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 so that no one will be shaken by these persecutions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to[c] this. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we told you previously that we were going to suffer persecution, and as you know, it happened. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer stand it, I also sent him to find out about your faith, fearing that the tempter had tempted you and that our labor might be for nothing.
Encouraged by Timothy
6 But now Timothy has come to us(AD) from you and brought us good news about your faith and love and reported that you always have good memories of us, wanting to see us, as we also want to see you.(AE) 7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we were encouraged about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand firm(AF) in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy(AG) we experience before our God because of you, 10 as we pray very earnestly night and day to see you face to face(AH) and to complete what is lacking in your faith?(AI)
Prayer for the Church
11 Now may our God and Father(AJ) Himself, and our Lord Jesus,(AK) direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love(AL) for one another(AM) and for everyone, just as we also do for you. 13 May He make your hearts blameless(AN) in holiness(AO) before our God and Father at the coming(AP) of our Lord(AQ) Jesus with all His saints. Amen.[d]
Psalm 80
A Prayer for Restoration
For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”[a] A testimony of Asaph.(A) A psalm.
1 Listen, Shepherd of Israel,
who leads Joseph like a flock;(B)
You who sit enthroned on the cherubim,(C)
rise up(D)
2 before Ephraim,
Benjamin, and Manasseh.[b](E)
Rally Your power and come to save us.(F)
3 Restore us, God;
look on us with favor,
and we will be saved.(G)
4 Lord God of Hosts,
how long will You be angry
with Your people’s prayers?(H)
5 You fed them the bread of tears
and gave them a full measure[c]
of tears to drink.(I)
6 You make us quarrel with our neighbors;
our enemies make fun of us.(J)
7 Restore us, God of Hosts;
look on us with favor, and we will be saved.(K)
8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the nations and planted it.(L)
9 You cleared a place for it;
it took root and filled the land.(M)
10 The mountains were covered by its shade,
and the mighty cedars[d] with its branches.(N)
11 It sent out sprouts toward the Sea[e]
and shoots toward the River.[f](O)
12 Why have You broken down its walls
so that all who pass by pick its fruit?(P)
13 The boar from the forest tears it
and creatures of the field feed on it.(Q)
14 Return, God of Hosts.(R)
Look down from heaven and see;
take care of this vine,
15 the root[g] Your right hand has planted,
the shoot[h] that You made strong for Yourself.(S)
16 It was cut down and burned up;[i]
they[j] perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.(T)
17 Let Your hand be with the man at Your right hand,
with the son of man
You have made strong for Yourself.(U)
18 Then we will not turn away from You;
revive us, and we will call on Your name.(V)
19 Restore us, Yahweh, the God of Hosts;(W)
look on us with favor, and we will be saved.(X)
Hezekiah’s Collection
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter(C)
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
3 As the heaven is high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
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