Israel’s Mourning Turned to Joy

31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the (A)God of all the (B)families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”

This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survived the sword
(C)Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when it went to (D)find its rest.”
The Lord appeared to [a]him [b]long ago, saying,
“I have (E)loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you out with (F)kindness.
(G)I will build you again and you will be rebuilt,
Virgin of Israel!
You will [c]take up your (H)tambourines again,
And go out to the dances of the (I)revelers.
Again you will (J)plant vineyards
On the [d]hills of Samaria;
The planters will plant
And will [e]enjoy the fruit.
For there will be a day when watchmen
On the hills of Ephraim call out,
‘Arise, and (K)let’s go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’”

For this is what the Lord says:
(L)Sing aloud with joy for Jacob,
And be joyful with the [f](M)chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
Lord, (N)save Your people,
The (O)remnant of Israel!’
Behold, I am (P)bringing them from the north country,
And I will (Q)gather them from the remote parts of the earth,
Among them those who are (R)blind and those who (S)limp,
The pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
They will return here as a great assembly.
(T)They will come with weeping,
And by pleading I will bring them;
I will lead them by (U)streams of waters,
On a straight path on which they will (V)not stumble;
For I am a (W)father to Israel,
And Ephraim is (X)My firstborn.”

10 Hear the word of the Lord, you nations,
And declare it in the (Y)coastlands far away,
And say, “He who scattered Israel will (Z)gather him,
And He will keep him as a (AA)shepherd keeps his flock.”
11 For the Lord has (AB)ransomed Jacob
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was (AC)stronger than he.
12 “They will (AD)come and shout for joy on the (AE)height of Zion,
And they will be (AF)radiant over the [g]bounty of the Lord
Over the (AG)grain, the new wine, the oil,
And over the young of the (AH)flock and the herd.
And their life will be like a (AI)watered garden,
And they will (AJ)never languish again.
13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the (AK)dance,
And the young men and the old together;
For I will (AL)turn their mourning into joy
And comfort them, and give them (AM)joy for their sorrow.
14 I will refresh the soul of the priests with [h]abundance,
And My people will be (AN)satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.

15 This is what the Lord says:
(AO)A voice is heard in (AP)Ramah,
Lamenting and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She (AQ)refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because (AR)they are no more.”

16 This is what the Lord says:

(AS)Restrain your voice from weeping
And your eyes from tears;
For your (AT)work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord,
“And they will (AU)return from the land of the enemy.
17 There is (AV)hope for your future,” declares the Lord,
“And your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have certainly heard Ephraim (AW)grieving,
‘You have (AX)disciplined me, and I was corrected,
Like an untrained (AY)calf;
(AZ)Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 For after I turned back, I (BA)repented;
And after I was instructed, I [i](BB)slapped my thigh;
I was (BC)ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the shame of my youth.’
20 Is (BD)Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My [j](BE)heart yearns for him;
I will certainly (BF)have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:3 Lit me
  2. Jeremiah 31:3 Or from far away
  3. Jeremiah 31:4 Lit adorn yourself with
  4. Jeremiah 31:5 Or mountains
  5. Jeremiah 31:5 Lit defile
  6. Jeremiah 31:7 Lit head
  7. Jeremiah 31:12 Lit goodness
  8. Jeremiah 31:14 Lit fatness
  9. Jeremiah 31:19 I.e., in regret
  10. Jeremiah 31:20 Lit inward parts

31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God(A) of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

This is what the Lord says:

“The people who survive the sword
    will find favor(B) in the wilderness;
    I will come to give rest(C) to Israel.”

The Lord appeared to us in the past,[a] saying:

“I have loved(D) you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn(E) you with unfailing kindness.
I will build you up again,
    and you, Virgin(F) Israel, will be rebuilt.(G)
Again you will take up your timbrels(H)
    and go out to dance(I) with the joyful.(J)
Again you will plant(K) vineyards
    on the hills of Samaria;(L)
the farmers will plant them
    and enjoy their fruit.(M)
There will be a day when watchmen(N) cry out
    on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
    to the Lord our God.’”(O)

This is what the Lord says:

“Sing(P) with joy for Jacob;
    shout for the foremost(Q) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
    Lord, save(R) your people,
    the remnant(S) of Israel.’
See, I will bring them from the land of the north(T)
    and gather(U) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind(V) and the lame,(W)
    expectant mothers and women in labor;
    a great throng will return.
They will come with weeping;(X)
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead(Y) them beside streams of water(Z)
    on a level(AA) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,(AB)
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
    proclaim it in distant coastlands:(AC)
‘He who scattered(AD) Israel will gather(AE) them
    and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’(AF)
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
    and redeem(AG) them from the hand of those stronger(AH) than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy(AI) on the heights(AJ) of Zion;
    they will rejoice in the bounty(AK) of the Lord
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,(AL)
    the young of the flocks(AM) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,(AN)
    and they will sorrow(AO) no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
    young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning(AP) into gladness;
    I will give them comfort(AQ) and joy(AR) instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy(AS) the priests(AT) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,(AU)
declares the Lord.

15 This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,(AV)
    mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,(AW)
    because they are no more.”(AX)

16 This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weeping
    and your eyes from tears,(AY)
for your work will be rewarded,(AZ)
declares the Lord.
    “They will return(BA) from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope(BB) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
    “Your children(BC) will return to their own land.

18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
    ‘You disciplined(BD) me like an unruly calf,(BE)
    and I have been disciplined.
Restore(BF) me, and I will return,
    because you are the Lord my God.
19 After I strayed,(BG)
    I repented;
after I came to understand,
    I beat(BH) my breast.
I was ashamed(BI) and humiliated
    because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’(BJ)
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
    the child(BK) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
    I still remember(BL) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
    I have great compassion(BM) for him,”
declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:3 Or Lord has appeared to us from afar

24 Now a Jew named (A)Apollos, an (B)Alexandrian by birth, [a]an eloquent man, came to (C)Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in (D)the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with (E)the baptism of John; 26 and [b]he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when (F)Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained (G)the way of God more accurately to him. 27 And when he wanted to go across to (H)Achaia, (I)the brothers encouraged him and wrote to (J)the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly [c]helped those who had believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating (K)by the Scriptures that (L)Jesus was the [d]Christ.

Paul in Ephesus

19 Now it happened that while (M)Apollos was in (N)Corinth, Paul passed through the (O)upper country and came to (P)Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “(Q)Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “On the contrary, (R)we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “(S)Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “(T)John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people (U)to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were (V)baptized [e]in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had (W)laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they began (X)speaking with tongues and (Y)prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 18:24 Or a learned man
  2. Acts 18:26 Lit this man
  3. Acts 18:27 Or helped greatly through grace those who had believed
  4. Acts 18:28 I.e., Messiah
  5. Acts 19:5 Lit into

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,(A) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.(B) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a](C) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.(D) 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila(E) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,(F) the brothers and sisters(G) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures(H) that Jesus was the Messiah.(I)

Paul in Ephesus

19 While Apollos(J) was at Corinth,(K) Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.(L) There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit(M) when[b] you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul said, “John’s baptism(N) was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”(O) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(P) When Paul placed his hands on them,(Q) the Holy Spirit came on them,(R) and they spoke in tongues[c](S) and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 18:25 Or with fervor in the Spirit
  2. Acts 19:2 Or after
  3. Acts 19:6 Or other languages

23 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I (A)restore their fortunes,

‘The Lord bless you, O (B)place of righteousness,
O (C)holy hill!’

24 Judah and all its cities will (D)live together in it, the farmers and those who travel with flocks. 25 (E)For I give plenty of water to the weary ones, and [a]refresh everyone who languishes.” 26 At this I (F)awoke and looked, and my (G)sleep had been pleasant to me.

A New Covenant

27 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will (H)sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of mankind and the seed of animals. 28 And just as I have (I)watched over them to (J)uproot them, tear them down, ruin, destroy, and bring disaster on them, so I will watch over them to (K)build and to plant them,” declares the Lord.

29 “In those days they will no longer say,
(L)The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
[b]But it is the children’s teeth that have become blunt.’

30 But (M)everyone will die for his own wrongdoing; each person who eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will become blunt.

31 (N)Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a (O)new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the (P)covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I (Q)took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My (R)covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “For (S)this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “(T)I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and (U)I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will (V)not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all (W)know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will (X)forgive their wrongdoing, and their (Y)sin I will no longer remember.”

35 This is what the Lord says,
He who (Z)gives the sun for light by day
And the [c]fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who (AA)stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
(AB)The Lord of armies is His name:
36 (AC)If [d]this fixed order departs
From Me,” declares the Lord,
“Then the descendants of Israel also will (AD)cease
To be a nation before Me [e]forever.”
37 This is what the Lord says:
(AE)If the heavens above can be measured
And the foundations of the earth searched out below,
Then I will also (AF)reject all the descendants of Israel
For everything that they have done,” declares the Lord.

38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the (AG)city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the (AH)Tower of Hananel to the (AI)Corner Gate. 39 The (AJ)measuring line will go out farther straight ahead, to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. 40 And (AK)the entire valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook (AL)Kidron to the corner of the (AM)Horse Gate toward the east, shall be (AN)holy to the Lord; it will not be uprooted or overthrown ever again.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:25 Lit fill
  2. Jeremiah 31:29 I.e., the children suffer for the fathers’ sins
  3. Jeremiah 31:35 Lit statutes
  4. Jeremiah 31:36 Lit these statutes
  5. Jeremiah 31:36 Lit all the days

23 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,[a](A) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless(B) you, you prosperous city,(C) you sacred mountain.’(D) 24 People will live(E) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.(F) 25 I will refresh the weary(G) and satisfy the faint.”(H)

26 At this I awoke(I) and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

27 “The days are coming,”(J) declares the Lord, “when I will plant(K) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched(L) over them to uproot(M) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,(N) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”(O) declares the Lord. 29 “In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents(P) have eaten sour grapes,
    and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’(Q)

30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;(R) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant(S)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant(T)
    I made with their ancestors(U)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,(V)
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband(W) to[b] them,[c]
declares the Lord.
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds(X)
    and write it on their hearts.(Y)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.(Z)
34 No longer will they teach(AA) their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know(AB) me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive(AC) their wickedness
    and will remember their sins(AD) no more.”

35 This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints(AE) the sun
    to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
    to shine by night,(AF)
who stirs up the sea(AG)
    so that its waves roar(AH)
    the Lord Almighty is his name:(AI)
36 “Only if these decrees(AJ) vanish from my sight,”
    declares the Lord,
“will Israel(AK) ever cease
    being a nation before me.”

37 This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measured(AL)
    and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject(AM) all the descendants of Israel
    because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord.

38 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt(AN) for me from the Tower of Hananel(AO) to the Corner Gate.(AP) 39 The measuring line(AQ) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley(AR) where dead bodies(AS) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley(AT) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,(AU) will be holy(AV) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:23 Or I restore their fortunes
  2. Jeremiah 31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from
  3. Jeremiah 31:32 Or was their master

And he entered (A)the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, having discussions and persuading them (B)about the kingdom of God. But when (C)some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of [a](D)the Way before the [b]people, he withdrew from them and took (E)the disciples away with him, and had discussions daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for (F)two years, so that all who lived in [c](G)Asia heard (H)the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Miracles at Ephesus

11 God was performing (I)extraordinary [d]miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 (J)so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and (K)the evil spirits went out. 13 But also some of the Jewish (L)exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to [e]use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 14 Now there were seven sons of [f]Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, doing this. 15 But the evil spirit responded and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit, pounced on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all who lived in (M)Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18 Also many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they added up the prices of [g]the books and found it to be fifty thousand [h](N)pieces of silver. 20 So [i](O)the word of the Lord (P)was growing and prevailing mightily.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 19:9 See John 14:6
  2. Acts 19:9 Lit multitude
  3. Acts 19:10 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
  4. Acts 19:11 Or works of power
  5. Acts 19:13 I.e., as an incantation
  6. Acts 19:14 Lit some Sceva
  7. Acts 19:19 Lit them
  8. Acts 19:19 Prob. Greek drachmas; a drachma was a day’s wages for a laborer
  9. Acts 19:20 Or according to the power of the Lord the word was growing

Paul entered the synagogue(A) and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.(B) But some of them(C) became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.(D) So Paul left them. He took the disciples(E) with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years,(F) so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia(G) heard the word of the Lord.(H)

11 God did extraordinary miracles(I) through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured(J) and the evil spirits left them.

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits(K) tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus(L) whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus,(M) they were all seized with fear,(N) and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.[a] 20 In this way the word of the Lord(O) spread widely and grew in power.(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 19:19 A drachma was a silver coin worth about a day’s wages.