Jeremiah 30:1-24

The Lord promises to bring his people back to Israel.

1 This is the word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 2 ‘The Lord, Israel's God, says, “Write all the words that I have spoken in a book. 3 The time is coming”, says the Lord, “when I will bring back my people. I will bring Israel's people and Judah's people back from the countries where they are prisoners. I will take them back to the country that I gave to their ancestors”, says the Lord.’

4 The Lord spoke these words about Israel and Judah. 5 ‘The Lord says,

“People will shout because they are afraid. They will not have any peace.

6 You know that men cannot give birth to children.

But I see that every strong man is holding his stomach.

They have pain like a woman who is giving birth to a child.

Every face is white, like a dead person's face.

7 That will be a day when everyone is afraid.

There will not be any other day like that day.

It will be a time of trouble for Jacob.

But I will save him out of all that trouble.”

8 “On that day I will break the yoke from your necks.

The Lord will save his people so that they will not continue to be slaves in Babylon.

I will destroy the things that make them prisoners.

They will not still be slaves to people from other countries.

9 Instead they will serve the Lord their God.

And they will serve David their king.

I will raise him up for them.

10 So do not be afraid, Jacob my servant.

Do not let yourself be afraid, Israel”, says the Lord.

“I will certainly bring you from a place that is far away.

I will save your sons from the country where they are prisoners.

Jacob (Israel) will again have peace and he will be safe.

And nobody will make him afraid.

11 I am with you and I will save you”, says the Lord.

“I may destroy completely all the countries that I send you to.

But I will not destroy you completely.

I will punish you in a fair way.

I certainly will punish you.”

12 The Lord says,

“Your enemies have hurt you so badly that nobody can make you better.

Nobody can make you completely well.

13 There is nobody who will ask people to help you.

There is no medicine that can make you well.

14 All those who were your friends have forgotten you.

They do not feel pain for your troubles.

I have hit you as an enemy would hit you.

I have punished you because you have not obeyed me very many times.

I have punished you because you have done many very bad things.

15 You shout because people have hurt you.

And nobody can make you well again.

Your sin is great and you have done many wrong things.

So I have done these things to you.

16 People have hurt you and they have killed you. But I will hurt those people and I will kill them.

I will send all your enemies away to be prisoners in other countries.

I will take away the good things

from those people who took away your good things.

17 I will give back your health to you.

I will take away everything that hurts you”, says the Lord.

“I will do that because of the words that people say.

They threw you out.

They call you the people from Zion that nobody wants.”

18 The Lord says,

“I will repair the places where Jacob (Israel) lives.

I will be kind to his descendants.

You will build the city again over its broken stones.

The palace will stand again in its proper place.

19 You will hear people who are singing with thanks to God.

They will be making a happy noise.

I will make the number of my people larger.

It will not become less.

I will cause the nations to honour my people.

They will not think that my people have no value.

20 My children will be as they were before now.

I will make them into one strong people.

I will punish all the people who try to make them their slaves.

21 A Jew will lead them.

A Jew will become their ruler.

I will bring him near and he will come near to me.

Nobody can come to me if I do not call him”, says the Lord.

22 “So you will be my people and I will be your God.” ’

23 Look! The Lord will rush like a storm when he is angry.

He will be like a powerful wind that blows people away.

It blows away the people who do wrong things.

24 The Lord will not turn away his great anger.

He will completely finish all the work that he decides to do.

Only then will he stop being angry.

You will understand these things at a future time.