Wednesday in Season after Pentecost

12Verse 12. And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 13Verse 13. “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast, 14Verse 14. then even if these three men— Noah, Daniel, and Job— were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD. 15Verse 15. Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts, 16Verse 16. then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate. 17Verse 17. Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast, 18Verse 18. then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered. 19Verse 19. Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast, 20Verse 20. then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves. 21Verse 21. For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments— sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague— in order to cut off from it both man and beast? 22Verse 22. Yet , behold, some survivors will be left in it — sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem — all that I have brought upon it. 23Verse 23. They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

1Verse 1. While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time: 2Verse 2. “Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it, the LORD is His name: 3Verse 3. Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know. 4Verse 4. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah that have been torn down for defense against the siege ramps and the sword: 5Verse 5. The Chaldeans are coming to fight and to fill those places with the corpses of the men I will strike down in My anger and in My wrath. I have hidden My face from this city because of all its wickedness. 6Verse 6. Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. 7Verse 7. I will restore Judah and Israel from captivity and will rebuild them as in former times. 8Verse 8. And I will cleanse them from all the iniquity they have committed against Me, and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against Me. 9Verse 9. So this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of all the good I do for it. They will tremble in awe because of all the goodness and prosperity that I will provide for it. 10Verse 10. This is what the LORD says: In this place you say is a wasteland without man or beast, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted — inhabited by neither man nor beast — there will be heard again 11Verse 11. the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever.’ For I will restore the land from captivity as in former times, says the LORD.