The Daily Audio Bible
Restoration from Captivity
30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write on a scroll all the words that I have spoken to you,(A) 3 for look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will restore the fortunes[a] of my people Israel and Judah,”(B) says the Lord. “I will restore them to the land I gave to their ancestors and they will possess it.”
4 These are the words the Lord spoke to Israel and Judah. 5 This is what the Lord says:
We have heard a cry of terror,
of dread—there is no peace.
6 Ask and see
whether a male can give birth.
Why then do I see every man
with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor
and every face turned pale?(C)
7 How awful that day will be!(D)
There will be no other like it!(E)
It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,
but he will be saved out of it.
8 On that day—
this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—
I will break his yoke from your neck(F)
and tear off your chains,(G)
and strangers will never again enslave him.(H)
9 They will serve the Lord their God
and David their king,
whom I will raise up for them.(I)
10 As for you, my servant Jacob,(J)
do not be afraid—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
and do not be discouraged, Israel,
for without fail I will save you out of a distant place,
your descendants, from the land of their captivity!
Jacob will return and have calm and quiet
with no one to frighten him.(K)
11 For I will be with you—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
to save you!(L)
I will bring destruction on all the nations
where I have scattered you;
however, I will not bring destruction on you.
I will discipline you justly,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.(M)
Healing Zion’s Wounds
12 For this is what the Lord says:
Your injury is incurable;
your wound most severe.(N)
13 You have no defender for your case.(O)
There is no remedy for your sores,
and no healing for you.[b]
14 All your lovers have forgotten you;(P)
they no longer look for you,
for I have struck you as an enemy would,
with the discipline(Q) of someone cruel,(R)
because of your enormous guilt
and your innumerable sins.
15 Why do you cry out about your injury?
Your pain has no cure!
I have done these things to you
because of your enormous guilt
and your innumerable sins.(S)
16 Nevertheless, all who devoured you will be devoured,(T)
and all your adversaries—all of them—
will go off into exile.
Those who plunder you will be plundered,
and all who raid you will be raided.(U)
17 But I will bring you health(V)
and will heal you of your wounds—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
for they call you Outcast,
Zion whom no one cares about.
Restoration of the Land
18 This is what the Lord says:
I will certainly restore the fortunes[c] of Jacob’s tents(W)
and show compassion(X) on his dwellings.
Every city will be rebuilt on its mound;
every citadel will stand on its proper site.
19 Thanksgiving will come out of them,
a sound of rejoicing.
I will multiply them, and they will not decrease;(Y)
I will honor them, and they will not be insignificant.
20 His children will be as in past days;
his congregation will be established in my presence.
I will punish all his oppressors.(Z)
21 Jacob’s leader will be one of them;
his ruler will issue from him.
I will invite him to me, and he will approach me,(AA)
for who would otherwise risk his life to approach me?
This is the Lord’s declaration.
22 You will be my people,
and I will be your God.(AB)
The Wrath of God
23 Look, a storm from the Lord!(AC)
Wrath has gone out,
a churning storm.
It will whirl about the heads of the wicked.
24 The Lord’s burning anger will not turn back
until he has completely fulfilled the purposes of his heart.
In time to come you will understand it.(AD)
God’s Relationship with His People
31 “At that time”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“I will be the God of all the families of Israel,(AE) and they will be my people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
The people who survived the sword
found favor in the wilderness.(AF)
When Israel went to find rest,(AG)
3 the Lord appeared to him[d] from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;(AH)
therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.(AI)
4 Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt,
Virgin Israel.(AJ)
You will take up your tambourines again(AK)
and go out in joyful dancing.
5 You will plant vineyards again(AL)
on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters will plant and will enjoy the fruit.(AM)
6 For there will be a day when watchmen will call out
in the hill country of Ephraim,
“Come, let’s go up to Zion,(AN)
to the Lord our God!”
God’s People Brought Home
7 For this is what the Lord says:
Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost of the nations!
Proclaim, praise, and say,
“Lord, save your people,(AO)
the remnant of Israel!” (AP)
8 Watch! I am going to bring them from the northern land.
I will gather them from remote regions of the earth(AQ)—
the blind and the lame will be with them,(AR)
along with those who are pregnant and those about to give birth.
They will return here as a great assembly!(AS)
9 They will come weeping,
but I will bring them back with consolation.[e](AT)
I will lead them to wadis filled with water,
by a smooth way where they will not stumble,(AU)
for I am Israel’s Father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.(AV)
10 Nations, hear the word of the Lord,
and tell it among the far off coasts and islands!(AW)
Say, “The one who scattered Israel will gather him.(AX)
He will watch over him as a shepherd guards his flock,
11 for the Lord has ransomed Jacob
and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he.”(AY)
12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;(AZ)
they will be radiant with joy(BA)
because of the Lord’s goodness,
because of the grain, the new wine, the fresh oil,(BB)
and because of the young of the flocks and herds.
Their life will be like an irrigated garden,
and they will no longer grow weak from hunger.
13 Then the young women will rejoice with dancing,
while young and old men rejoice together.
I will turn their mourning into joy,(BC)
give them consolation,
and bring happiness out of grief.
14 I will refresh the priests with an abundance,[f](BD)
and my people will be satisfied with my goodness.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Lament Turned to Joy
15 This is what the Lord says:
A voice was heard in Ramah,(BE)
a lament with bitter weeping—
Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted for her children
because they are no more.(BF)
16 This is what the Lord says:
Keep your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for the reward for your work will come—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
and your children will return from the enemy’s land.
17 There is hope for your future(BG)—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
and your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have surely heard Ephraim moaning,
“You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined
like an untrained calf.(BH)
Take me back, so that I can return,
for you, Lord, are my God.(BI)
19 After my return, I felt regret;
After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief.(BJ)
I was ashamed and humiliated(BK)
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.”
20 Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me,
a delightful child?(BL)
Whenever I speak against him,
I certainly still think about him.
Therefore, my inner being yearns for him;
I will truly have compassion on him.(BM)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Repentance and Restoration
21 Set up road markers(BN) for yourself;
establish signposts!
Keep the highway in mind,
the way you have traveled.
Return, Virgin Israel!
Return to these cities of yours.
22 How long will you turn here and there,
faithless daughter?(BO)
For the Lord creates something new in the land[g]—
a female[h] will shelter[i] a man.
23 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I restore their fortunes,[j] they will once again speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities: ‘May the Lord bless you, righteous settlement,(BP) holy mountain.’(BQ) 24 Judah and all its cities will live in it together—also farmers and those who move[k] with the flocks— 25 for I satisfy the thirsty person and feed all those who are weak.”(BR)
26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been most pleasant to me.
Instructions on Prayer
2 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority,(A) so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness(B) and dignity.(C) 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior,(D) 4 who wants everyone(E) to be saved(F) and to come to the knowledge of the truth.(G)
5 For there is one God(H) and one mediator(I) between God and mankind, the man(J) Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all,(K) a testimony at the proper time.
7 For this I was appointed a herald, an apostle(L) (I am telling the truth;[a] I am not lying), and a teacher of the Gentiles(M) in faith and truth.
Instructions to Men and Women
8 Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.(N) 9 Also, the women are to dress themselves in modest clothing,(O) with decency and good sense, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold,(P) pearls, or expensive apparel, 10 but with good works,(Q) as is proper for women who profess to worship God. 11 A woman is to learn quietly with full submission.(R) 12 I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.(S) 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.(T) 15 But she will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness,(U) with good sense.
Psalm 87
Zion, the City of God
A psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.
1 The city he founded[a] is on the holy mountains.(A)
2 The Lord loves Zion’s city gates
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.(B)
3 Glorious things are said about you,
city of God.(C)Selah
4 “I will make a record of those who know me:
Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush—
each one was born there.”(D)
5 And it will be said of Zion,
“This one and that one were born in her.”
The Most High himself will establish her.(E)
6 When he registers the peoples,
the Lord will record,
“This one was born there.”(F)Selah
7 Singers and dancers[b] alike will say,[c]
“My whole source of joy is[d] in you.”(G)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.