Jeremiah 23

New International Version

The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds^(A) who are destroying and scattering^(B) the sheep of my pasture!”^(C) declares the Lord. ²Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds^(D) who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock^(E) and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil^(F) you have done,” declares the Lord. ³“I myself will gather the remnant^(G) of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture,^(H) where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴I will place shepherds^(I) over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid^(J) or terrified, nor will any be missing,^(K)” declares the Lord.

⁵“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will raise up for David^[a] a righteous Branch,^(L)
a King^(M) who will reign^(N) wisely
    and do what is just and right^(O) in the land.
⁶In his days Judah will be saved
    and Israel will live in safety.^(P)
This is the name^(Q) by which he will be called:
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.^(R)

⁷“So then, the days are coming,”^(S) declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’^(T) ⁸but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”^(U)

Lying Prophets

⁹Concerning the prophets:

My heart^(V) is broken within me;
    all my bones tremble.^(W)
I am like a drunken man,
    like a strong man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord
    and his holy words.^(X)
¹⁰The land is full of adulterers;^(Y)
    because of the curse^[b]^(Z) the land lies parched
    and the pastures^(AA) in the wilderness are withered.^(AB)
The prophets follow an evil course
    and use their power unjustly.

¹¹“Both prophet and priest are godless;^(AC)
    even in my temple^(AD) I find their wickedness,”
declares the Lord.
¹²“Therefore their path will become slippery;^(AE)
    they will be banished to darkness
    and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
    in the year they are punished,^(AF)”
declares the Lord.

¹³“Among the prophets of Samaria
    I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal^(AG)
    and led my people Israel astray.^(AH)
¹⁴And among the prophets of Jerusalem
    I have seen something horrible:^(AI)
    They commit adultery and live a lie.^(AJ)
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,^(AK)
    so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.^(AL)
They are all like Sodom^(AM) to me;
    the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”^(AN)

¹⁵Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:

“I will make them eat bitter food
and drink poisoned water,^(AO)
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness^(AP) has spread throughout the land.”

¹⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen^(AQ) to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions^(AR) from their own minds,
    not from the mouth^(AS) of the Lord.
¹⁷They keep saying^(AT) to those who despise me,
    ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’^(AU)
And to all who follow the stubbornness^(AV) of their hearts
    they say, ‘No harm^(AW) will come to you.’
¹⁸But which of them has stood in the council^(AX) of the Lord
    to see or to hear his word?
    Who has listened and heard his word?
¹⁹See, the storm^(AY) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind^(AZ) swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
²⁰The anger^(BA) of the Lord will not turn back^(BB)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand it clearly.
²¹I did not send^(BC) these prophets,
    yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they have prophesied.
²²But if they had stood in my council,^(BD)
    they would have proclaimed^(BE) my words to my people
and would have turned^(BF) them from their evil ways
    and from their evil deeds.^(BG)

²³“Am I only a God nearby,^(BH)”
declares the Lord,
    “and not a God far away?
²⁴Who can hide^(BI) in secret places
    so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
    “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”^(BJ)
declares the Lord.

²⁵“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies^(BK) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!^(BL) I had a dream!’ ²⁶How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions^(BM) of their own minds?^(BN) ²⁷They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget^(BO) my name, just as their ancestors forgot^(BP) my name through Baal worship.^(BQ) ²⁸Let the prophet who has a dream^(BR) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word^(BS) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. ²⁹“Is not my word like fire,”^(BT) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer^(BU) that breaks a rock in pieces?

³⁰“Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against^(BV) the prophets^(BW) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. ³¹Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’^(BX) ³²Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,^(BY)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray^(BZ) with their reckless lies,^(CA) yet I did not send^(CB) or appoint them. They do not benefit^(CC) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

False Prophecy

³³“When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message^(CD) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake^(CE) you, declares the Lord.’ ³⁴If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message^(CF) from the Lord,’ I will punish^(CG) them and their household. ³⁵This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’^(CH) or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁶But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort^(CI) the words of the living God,^(CJ) the Lord Almighty, our God. ³⁷This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁸Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ ³⁹Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast^(CK) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. ⁴⁰I will bring on you everlasting disgrace^(CL)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”

Footnotes

Jeremiah 23:5 Or up from David’s line
Jeremiah 23:10 Or because of these things

Jeremiah 33

New International Version

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined^(A) in the courtyard^(B) of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:^(C) ²“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth,^(D) the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:^(E) ³‘Call^(F) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable^(G) things you do not know.’ ⁴For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege^(H) ramps^(I) and the sword ⁵in the fight with the Babylonians^[a]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath.^(J) I will hide my face^(K) from this city because of all its wickedness.

⁶“‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal^(L) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace^(M) and security. ⁷I will bring Judah^(N) and Israel back from captivity^[b]^(O) and will rebuild^(P) them as they were before.^(Q) ⁸I will cleanse^(R) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive^(S) all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹Then this city will bring me renown,^(T) joy, praise^(U) and honor^(V) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble^(W) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

¹⁰“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”^(X) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,^(Y) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹the sounds of joy and gladness,^(Z) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings^(AA) to the house of the Lord, saying,

“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;^(AB)
his love endures forever.”^(AC)

For I will restore the fortunes^(AD) of the land as they were before,^(AE)’ says the Lord.

¹²“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate^(AF) and without people or animals^(AG)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.^(AH) ¹³In the towns of the hill^(AI) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(AJ) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand^(AK) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

¹⁴“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise^(AL) I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

¹⁵“‘In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous^(AM) Branch^(AN) sprout from David’s line;^(AO)
    he will do what is just and right in the land.
¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved^(AP)
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.^(AQ)
This is the name by which it^[c] will be called:^(AR)
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’^(AS)

¹⁷For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail^(AT) to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, ¹⁸nor will the Levitical^(AU) priests^(AV) ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.^(AW)’”

¹⁹The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁰“This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day^(AX) and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time,^(AY) ²¹then my covenant^(AZ) with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites^(BA) who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.^(BB) ²²I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless^(BC) as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”

²³The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁴“Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms^[d]^(BD) he chose’? So they despise^(BE) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.^(BF) ²⁵This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night^(BG) and established the laws^(BH) of heaven and earth,^(BI) ²⁶then I will reject^(BJ) the descendants of Jacob^(BK) and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes^[e]^(BL) and have compassion^(BM) on them.’”

Footnotes

Jeremiah 33:5 Or Chaldeans
Jeremiah 33:7 Or will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel
Jeremiah 33:16 Or he
Jeremiah 33:24 Or families
Jeremiah 33:26 Or will bring them back from captivity

Jeremiah 31

New International Version

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.”

²This 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.”

³The 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.
⁴I 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)
⁵Again you will plant^(K) vineyards
    on the hills of Samaria;^(L)
the farmers will plant them
    and enjoy their fruit.^(M)
⁶There 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)

⁷This 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.’
⁸See, 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.
⁹They 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)
¹¹For the Lord will deliver Jacob
    and redeem^(AG) them from the hand of those stronger^(AH) than they.
¹²They 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.
¹³Then 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.
¹⁴I will satisfy^(AS) the priests^(AT) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,^(AU)”
declares the Lord.

¹⁵This 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)

¹⁶This 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.
¹⁷So 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.
¹⁹After 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)
²⁰Is 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.

²¹“Set up road signs;
    put up guideposts.^(BN)
Take note of the highway,^(BO)
    the road that you take.
Return,^(BP) Virgin^(BQ) Israel,
    return to your towns.
²²How long will you wander,^(BR)
    unfaithful^(BS) Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing^(BT) on earth—
    the woman will return to^[b]^(BU) the man.”

²³This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,^[c]^(BV) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless^(BW) you, you prosperous city,^(BX) you sacred mountain.’^(BY) ²⁴People will live^(BZ) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.^(CA) ²⁵I will refresh the weary^(CB) and satisfy the faint.”^(CC)

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

²⁷“The days are coming,”^(CE) declares the Lord, “when I will plant^(CF) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. ²⁸Just as I watched^(CG) over them to uproot^(CH) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,^(CI) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”^(CJ) declares the Lord. ²⁹“In those days people will no longer say,

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

³⁰Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;^(CM) 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^(CN)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
³²It will not be like the covenant^(CO)
    I made with their ancestors^(CP)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,^(CQ)
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband^(CR) to^[d] them,^[e]”
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^(CS)
    and write it on their hearts.^(CT)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.^(CU)
³⁴No longer will they teach^(CV) their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know^(CW) me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive^(CX) their wickedness
    and will remember their sins^(CY) no more.”

³⁵This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints^(CZ) the sun
    to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
    to shine by night,^(DA)
who stirs up the sea^(DB)
    so that its waves roar^(DC)—
    the Lord Almighty is his name:^(DD)
³⁶“Only if these decrees^(DE) vanish from my sight,”
    declares the Lord,
“will Israel^(DF) ever cease
    being a nation before me.”

³⁷This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measured^(DG)
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject^(DH) 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^(DI) for me from the Tower of Hananel^(DJ) to the Corner Gate.^(DK) ³⁹The measuring line^(DL) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. ⁴⁰The whole valley^(DM) where dead bodies^(DN) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley^(DO) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,^(DP) will be holy^(DQ) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”