JEREMIAH 31:27- 32:44
1 TIMOTHY 3:1- 16
PSALM 88:1- 18
PROVERBS 25:20- 22
"The time will come," says the LORD, "when I will greatly increase the population and multiply the number of cattle here in Israel and Judah. 28 In the past I uprooted and tore down this nation. I overthrew it, destroyed it, and brought disaster upon it. But in the future I will plant it and build it up," says the LORD. 29 "The people will no longer quote this proverb:`The parents eat sour grapes, but their children's mouths pucker at the taste. '30 All people will die for their own sins-- those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker. 31" The day will come, "says the LORD," when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife, "says the LORD. 33" But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, "says the LORD." I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me, "says the LORD." And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins. "35 It is the LORD who provides the sun to light the day and the moon and stars to light the night. It is he who stirs the sea into roaring waves. His name is the LORD Almighty, and this is what he says:36" I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to do away with the laws of nature! 37 Just as the heavens cannot be measured and the foundation of the earth cannot be explored, so I will not consider casting them away forever for their sins. I, the LORD, have spoken! 38 "The time is coming," says the LORD, "when all Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 A measuring line will be stretched out over the hill of Gareb and across to Goah. 40 And the entire area-- including the graveyard and ash dump in the valley, and all the fields out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the Horse Gate-- will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be captured or destroyed." 32:1 THE following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah. This was also the eighteenth year of the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Jerusalem was under siege from the Babylonian army, and Jeremiah was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. 3 King Zedekiah had put him there because he continued to give this prophecy:"This is what the LORD says:I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon. 4 King Zedekiah will be captured by the Babylonians and taken to the king of Babylon to be judged and sentenced. 5 I will take Zedekiah to Babylon and will deal with him there. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will never succeed." 6 At that time the LORD sent me a message. He said, 7 "Your cousin Hanamel son of Shallum will come and say to you, `Buy my field at Anathoth. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else. '" 8 Then, just as the LORD had said he would, Hanamel came and visited me in the prison. He said, "Buy my field at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else, so buy it for yourself." Then I knew for sure that the message I had heard was from the LORD. 9 So I bought the field at Anathoth, paying Hanamel seventeen pieces of silver for it. 10 I signed and sealed the deed of purchase before witnesses, weighed out the silver, and paid him. 11 Then I took the sealed deed and an unsealed copy of the deed, which contained the terms and conditions of the purchase, 12 and I handed them to Baruch son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah. I did all this in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed, and all the men of Judah who were there. 13 Then I said to Baruch as they all listened, 14 "The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:Take both this sealed deed and the unsealed copy, and put them into a pottery jar to preserve them for a long time. 15 For the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:Someday people will again own property here in this land and will buy and sell houses and vineyards and fields." 16 Then after I had given the papers to Baruch, I prayed to the LORD:17 "O Sovereign LORD! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you! 18 You are loving and kind to thousands, though children suffer for their parents' sins. You are the great and powerful God, the LORD Almighty. 19 You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You are very aware of the conduct of all people, and you reward them according to their deeds. 20 You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt-- things still remembered to this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name very great, as it is today. 21" You brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders, with great power and overwhelming terror. 22 You gave the people of Israel this land that you had promised their ancestors long before-- a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 Our ancestors came and conquered it and lived in it, but they refused to obey you or follow your law. They have hardly done one thing you told them to! That is why you have sent this terrible disaster upon them. 24 "See how the siege ramps have been built against the city walls! Because of war, famine, and disease, the city has been handed over to the Babylonians, who will conquer it. Everything has happened just as you said it would. 25 And yet, O Sovereign LORD, you have told me to buy the field-- paying good money for it before these witnesses-- even though the city will soon belong to the Babylonians." 26 Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me? 28 I will hand this city over to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 29 The Babylonians outside the walls will come in and set fire to the city. They will burn down all these houses, where the people caused my fury to rise by offering incense to Baal on the rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods. 30 Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days. They have infuriated me with all their evil deeds," says the LORD. 31 "From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me, so I am determined to get rid of it. 32" The sins of Israel and Judah-- the sins of the people of Jerusalem, the kings, the officials, the priests, and the prophets-- stir up my anger. 33 My people have turned their backs on me and have refused to return. Day after day, year after year, I taught them right from wrong, but they would not listen or obey. 34 They have set up their abominable idols right in my own Temple, defiling it. 35 They have built pagan shrines to Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and there they sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing. What an incredible evil, causing Judah to sin so greatly! 36 "Now I want to say something more about this city. You have been saying, `It will fall to the king of Babylon through war, famine, and disease. 'But this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:37 I will surely bring my people back again from all the countries where I will scatter them in my fury. I will bring them back to this very city and let them live in peace and safety. 38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 And I will give them one heart and mind to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. 40" And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising not to stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. 41 I will rejoice in doing good to them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land. 42 Just as I have sent all these calamities upon them, so I will do all the good I have promised them. I, the LORD, have spoken! 43 "Fields will again be bought and sold in this land about which you now say, `It has been ravaged by the Babylonians, a land where people and animals have all disappeared.' 44 Yes, fields will once again be bought and sold-- deeds signed and sealed and witnessed-- in the land of Benjamin and here in Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the hill country, in the foothills of Judah and in the Negev, too. For someday I will restore prosperity to them. I, the LORD, have spoken!"
It is a true saying that if someone wants to be an elder, he desires an honorable responsibility. 2 For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exhibit self- control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money. 4 He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church? 6 An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. 7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil's trap and be disgraced. 8 In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money. 9 They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, they should be given other responsibilities in the church as a test of their character and ability. If they do well, then they may serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not speak evil of others. They must exercise self- control and be faithful in everything they do. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. 14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I can't come for a while, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and support of the truth. 16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:Christ appeared in the flesh
and was shown to be righteous by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and was announced to the nations.
He was believed on in the world
and was taken up into heaven.
For the choir director:A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be sung to the tune "The Suffering of Affliction."
A psalm of Heman the Ezrahite. A song.
1 O LORD, God of my salvation,
I have cried out to you day and night.
2 Now hear my prayer;
listen to my cry.
3 For my life is full of troubles,
and death draws near.
4 I have been dismissed as one who is dead,
like a strong man with no strength left.
5 They have abandoned me to death,
and I am as good as dead.
I am forgotten,
cut off from your care.
6 You have thrust me down to the lowest pit,
into the darkest depths.
7 Your anger lies heavy on me;
wave after wave engulfs me.
Interlude8 You have caused my friends to loathe me;
you have sent them all away.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9 My eyes are blinded by my tears.
Each day I beg for your help, O LORD;
I lift my pleading hands to you for mercy.
10 Of what use to the dead are your miracles?
Do the dead get up and praise you?
Interlude11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
In the place of destruction, can they proclaim your faithfulness?
12 Can the darkness speak of your miracles?
Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
13 O LORD, I cry out to you.
I will keep on pleading day by day.
14 O LORD, why do you reject me?
Why do you turn your face away from me?
15 I have been sickly and close to death since my youth.
I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
16 Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.
Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.
They have encircled me completely.
18 You have taken away my companions and loved ones;
only darkness remains.
Singing cheerful songs to a person whose heart is heavy is as bad as stealing someone's jacket in cold weather or rubbing salt in a wound. If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals on their heads, and the LORD will reward you
1 TIMOTHY 3:1- 16
PSALM 88:1- 18
PROVERBS 25:20- 22
"The time will come," says the LORD, "when I will greatly increase the population and multiply the number of cattle here in Israel and Judah. 28 In the past I uprooted and tore down this nation. I overthrew it, destroyed it, and brought disaster upon it. But in the future I will plant it and build it up," says the LORD. 29 "The people will no longer quote this proverb:`The parents eat sour grapes, but their children's mouths pucker at the taste. '30 All people will die for their own sins-- those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker. 31" The day will come, "says the LORD," when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife, "says the LORD. 33" But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, "says the LORD." I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me, "says the LORD." And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins. "35 It is the LORD who provides the sun to light the day and the moon and stars to light the night. It is he who stirs the sea into roaring waves. His name is the LORD Almighty, and this is what he says:36" I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to do away with the laws of nature! 37 Just as the heavens cannot be measured and the foundation of the earth cannot be explored, so I will not consider casting them away forever for their sins. I, the LORD, have spoken! 38 "The time is coming," says the LORD, "when all Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 A measuring line will be stretched out over the hill of Gareb and across to Goah. 40 And the entire area-- including the graveyard and ash dump in the valley, and all the fields out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the Horse Gate-- will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be captured or destroyed." 32:1 THE following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah. This was also the eighteenth year of the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Jerusalem was under siege from the Babylonian army, and Jeremiah was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. 3 King Zedekiah had put him there because he continued to give this prophecy:"This is what the LORD says:I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon. 4 King Zedekiah will be captured by the Babylonians and taken to the king of Babylon to be judged and sentenced. 5 I will take Zedekiah to Babylon and will deal with him there. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will never succeed." 6 At that time the LORD sent me a message. He said, 7 "Your cousin Hanamel son of Shallum will come and say to you, `Buy my field at Anathoth. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else. '" 8 Then, just as the LORD had said he would, Hanamel came and visited me in the prison. He said, "Buy my field at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else, so buy it for yourself." Then I knew for sure that the message I had heard was from the LORD. 9 So I bought the field at Anathoth, paying Hanamel seventeen pieces of silver for it. 10 I signed and sealed the deed of purchase before witnesses, weighed out the silver, and paid him. 11 Then I took the sealed deed and an unsealed copy of the deed, which contained the terms and conditions of the purchase, 12 and I handed them to Baruch son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah. I did all this in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed, and all the men of Judah who were there. 13 Then I said to Baruch as they all listened, 14 "The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:Take both this sealed deed and the unsealed copy, and put them into a pottery jar to preserve them for a long time. 15 For the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:Someday people will again own property here in this land and will buy and sell houses and vineyards and fields." 16 Then after I had given the papers to Baruch, I prayed to the LORD:17 "O Sovereign LORD! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you! 18 You are loving and kind to thousands, though children suffer for their parents' sins. You are the great and powerful God, the LORD Almighty. 19 You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You are very aware of the conduct of all people, and you reward them according to their deeds. 20 You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt-- things still remembered to this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name very great, as it is today. 21" You brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders, with great power and overwhelming terror. 22 You gave the people of Israel this land that you had promised their ancestors long before-- a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 Our ancestors came and conquered it and lived in it, but they refused to obey you or follow your law. They have hardly done one thing you told them to! That is why you have sent this terrible disaster upon them. 24 "See how the siege ramps have been built against the city walls! Because of war, famine, and disease, the city has been handed over to the Babylonians, who will conquer it. Everything has happened just as you said it would. 25 And yet, O Sovereign LORD, you have told me to buy the field-- paying good money for it before these witnesses-- even though the city will soon belong to the Babylonians." 26 Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me? 28 I will hand this city over to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 29 The Babylonians outside the walls will come in and set fire to the city. They will burn down all these houses, where the people caused my fury to rise by offering incense to Baal on the rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods. 30 Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days. They have infuriated me with all their evil deeds," says the LORD. 31 "From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me, so I am determined to get rid of it. 32" The sins of Israel and Judah-- the sins of the people of Jerusalem, the kings, the officials, the priests, and the prophets-- stir up my anger. 33 My people have turned their backs on me and have refused to return. Day after day, year after year, I taught them right from wrong, but they would not listen or obey. 34 They have set up their abominable idols right in my own Temple, defiling it. 35 They have built pagan shrines to Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and there they sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing. What an incredible evil, causing Judah to sin so greatly! 36 "Now I want to say something more about this city. You have been saying, `It will fall to the king of Babylon through war, famine, and disease. 'But this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:37 I will surely bring my people back again from all the countries where I will scatter them in my fury. I will bring them back to this very city and let them live in peace and safety. 38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 And I will give them one heart and mind to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. 40" And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising not to stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. 41 I will rejoice in doing good to them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land. 42 Just as I have sent all these calamities upon them, so I will do all the good I have promised them. I, the LORD, have spoken! 43 "Fields will again be bought and sold in this land about which you now say, `It has been ravaged by the Babylonians, a land where people and animals have all disappeared.' 44 Yes, fields will once again be bought and sold-- deeds signed and sealed and witnessed-- in the land of Benjamin and here in Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the hill country, in the foothills of Judah and in the Negev, too. For someday I will restore prosperity to them. I, the LORD, have spoken!"
It is a true saying that if someone wants to be an elder, he desires an honorable responsibility. 2 For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exhibit self- control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money. 4 He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church? 6 An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. 7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil's trap and be disgraced. 8 In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money. 9 They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, they should be given other responsibilities in the church as a test of their character and ability. If they do well, then they may serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not speak evil of others. They must exercise self- control and be faithful in everything they do. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus. 14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I can't come for a while, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and support of the truth. 16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:Christ appeared in the flesh
and was shown to be righteous by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and was announced to the nations.
He was believed on in the world
and was taken up into heaven.
For the choir director:A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be sung to the tune "The Suffering of Affliction."
A psalm of Heman the Ezrahite. A song.
1 O LORD, God of my salvation,
I have cried out to you day and night.
2 Now hear my prayer;
listen to my cry.
3 For my life is full of troubles,
and death draws near.
4 I have been dismissed as one who is dead,
like a strong man with no strength left.
5 They have abandoned me to death,
and I am as good as dead.
I am forgotten,
cut off from your care.
6 You have thrust me down to the lowest pit,
into the darkest depths.
7 Your anger lies heavy on me;
wave after wave engulfs me.
Interlude8 You have caused my friends to loathe me;
you have sent them all away.
I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9 My eyes are blinded by my tears.
Each day I beg for your help, O LORD;
I lift my pleading hands to you for mercy.
10 Of what use to the dead are your miracles?
Do the dead get up and praise you?
Interlude11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
In the place of destruction, can they proclaim your faithfulness?
12 Can the darkness speak of your miracles?
Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
13 O LORD, I cry out to you.
I will keep on pleading day by day.
14 O LORD, why do you reject me?
Why do you turn your face away from me?
15 I have been sickly and close to death since my youth.
I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.
16 Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.
Your terrors have cut me off.
17 They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.
They have encircled me completely.
18 You have taken away my companions and loved ones;
only darkness remains.
Singing cheerful songs to a person whose heart is heavy is as bad as stealing someone's jacket in cold weather or rubbing salt in a wound. If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals on their heads, and the LORD will reward you
