Jeremiah 51:45-63

New International Version

⁴⁵“Come out^(A) of her, my people!
    Run^(B) for your lives!
    Run from the fierce anger^(C) of the Lord.
⁴⁶Do not lose heart^(D) or be afraid^(E)
    when rumors^(F) are heard in the land;
one rumor comes this year, another the next,
    rumors of violence in the land
    and of ruler against ruler.
⁴⁷For the time will surely come
    when I will punish the idols^(G) of Babylon;
her whole land will be disgraced^(H)
    and her slain will all lie fallen within her.^(I)
⁴⁸Then heaven and earth and all that is in them
    will shout^(J) for joy over Babylon,
for out of the north^(K)
    destroyers^(L) will attack her,”
declares the Lord.

⁴⁹“Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain,
    just as the slain in all the earth
    have fallen because of Babylon.^(M)
⁵⁰You who have escaped the sword,
    leave^(N) and do not linger!
Remember^(O) the Lord in a distant land,^(P)
    and call to mind Jerusalem.”

⁵¹“We are disgraced,^(Q)
    for we have been insulted
    and shame covers our faces,
because foreigners have entered
    the holy places of the Lord’s house.”^(R)

⁵²“But days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will punish her idols,^(S)
and throughout her land
    the wounded will groan.^(T)
⁵³Even if Babylon ascends to the heavens^(U)
    and fortifies her lofty stronghold,
    I will send destroyers^(V) against her,”
declares the Lord.

⁵⁴“The sound of a cry^(W) comes from Babylon,
    the sound of great destruction^(X)
    from the land of the Babylonians.^[a]
⁵⁵The Lord will destroy Babylon;
    he will silence^(Y) her noisy din.
Waves^(Z) of enemies will rage like great waters;
    the roar of their voices will resound.
⁵⁶A destroyer^(AA) will come against Babylon;
    her warriors will be captured,
    and their bows will be broken.^(AB)
For the Lord is a God of retribution;
    he will repay^(AC) in full.
⁵⁷I will make her officials^(AD) and wise^(AE) men drunk,^(AF)
    her governors, officers and warriors as well;
they will sleep^(AG) forever and not awake,”
    declares the King,^(AH) whose name is the Lord Almighty.

⁵⁸This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Babylon’s thick wall^(AI) will be leveled
and her high gates^(AJ) set on fire;
the peoples^(AK) exhaust^(AL) themselves for nothing,
the nations’ labor is only fuel for the flames.”^(AM)

⁵⁹This is the message Jeremiah the prophet gave to the staff officer Seraiah son of Neriah,^(AN) the son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with Zedekiah^(AO) king of Judah in the fourth^(AP) year of his reign. ⁶⁰Jeremiah had written on a scroll^(AQ) about all the disasters that would come upon Babylon—all that had been recorded concerning Babylon. ⁶¹He said to Seraiah, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. ⁶²Then say, ‘Lord, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate^(AR) forever.’ ⁶³When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates.^(AS)

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Footnotes

Jeremiah 51:54 Or Chaldeans

Hebrews 13:17-24

New International Version

¹⁷Have confidence in your leaders^(A) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you^(B) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

¹⁸Pray for us.^(C) We are sure that we have a clear conscience^(D) and desire to live honorably in every way. ¹⁹I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.^(E)

Benediction and Final Greetings

²⁰Now may the God of peace,^(F) who through the blood of the eternal covenant^(G) brought back from the dead^(H) our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,^(I) ²¹equip you with everything good for doing his will,^(J) and may he work in us^(K) what is pleasing to him,^(L) through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(M)