So turn away from your sins. Turn to God. Then your sins will be wiped away. The time will come when the Lord will make everything new.

所以，你们当悔改归正，使你们的罪得以涂抹。这样，那安舒的日子就必从主面前来到；

所以，你们当悔改归正，使你们的罪得以涂去，

所以，你们当悔改归正，使你们的罪得以涂去，

所以你们要悔改，归向上帝，祂将除去你们一切的罪恶，

所以你们应当悔改归正，使你们的罪得着涂抹。

所以，你们应当悔改，应当回转，使你们的罪孽被抹去，

所以，你們當悔改歸正，使你們的罪得以塗抹，

所以，你們當悔改歸正，使你們的罪得以塗去，

所以，你們當悔改歸正，使你們的罪得以塗去，

所以你們要悔改，歸向上帝，祂將除去你們一切的罪惡，

所以你們應當悔改歸正，使你們的罪得著塗抹。

所以你們要悔改、回轉過來，使你們的罪得擦掉，使舒爽之時期從主面前來到，

所以，你們應當悔改，應當回轉，使你們的罪孽被抹去，

故爾當改悔而轉移、令罪塗抹、俾安舒之日自主而來、

汝宜悔改反正、俾罪得抹、則主賜爾安舒之日至、

故爾當悔改反正、使爾罪得抹、

是以爾當悔悟、棄邪歸正用消宿罪庶幾和平安樂之日、萬物同春之時、當可自主而臨；

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out,

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,

“ Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

Peter replied,“ All of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I will sweep your sins away as if they were a cloud. I will blow them away as if they were the morning mist. Return to me. Then I will set you free.”

“ I am the one who wipes out your lawless acts. I do it because of who I am. I will not remember your sins anymore.

Jesus said,“ What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Take away all my sins. Wipe away all the evil things I’ve done.

So wash and make yourselves clean. Get your evil actions out of my sight! Stop doing what is wrong!Learn to do what is right! Treat people fairly. Help those who are treated badly. Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. And do the same thing for widows.“ Come. Let us settle this matter,” says the Lord.“ Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are deep red, they will be white like wool.But you have to be willing to change and obey me. If you are, you will eat the good things that grow on the land.But if you are not willing to obey me, you will be killed by swords.” The Lord has spoken.

The hearts of these people have become stubborn. They can barely hear with their ears. They have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes. They might hear with their ears. They might understand with their hearts. They might turn to the Lord, and then he would heal them.’( Isaiah 6:9, 10)

He will help you who are troubled. And he will also help us. All these things will happen when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come in blazing fire. He will come with his powerful angels.

So obey God. Stand up to the devil. He will run away from you.Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Make your hearts pure, you who can’t make up your minds.Be full of sorrow. Cry and weep. Change your laughter to mourning. Change your joy to sadness.Be humble in front of the Lord. And he will lift you up.

The Lord’s power was with them. Large numbers of people believed and turned to the Lord.

These people’s hearts have become stubborn. They can barely hear with their ears. They have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes. They might hear with their ears. They might understand with their hearts. They might turn, and then I would heal them.’( Isaiah 6:9, 10)

Then the apostles gathered around Jesus and asked him a question.“ Lord,” they said,“ are you going to give the kingdom back to Israel now?”

He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

to open their eyes. I want you to turn them from darkness to light. I want you to turn them from Satan’s power to God. I want their sins to be forgiven. They will be forgiven when they believe in me. They will have their place among God’s people.’“ So then, King Agrippa, I obeyed the vision that appeared from heaven.First I preached to people in Damascus. Then I preached in Jerusalem and in all Judea. And then I preached to the Gentiles. I told them to turn away from their sins to God. The way they live must show that they have turned away from their sins.

My brothers and sisters, suppose one of you wanders away from the truth. And suppose someone brings that person back.Then here is what I want you to remember. Anyone who keeps a sinner from going astray will save them from death. God will erase many sins by forgiving them.

And they turn back to you with all their heart and soul. Suppose it happens in the land of their enemies who took them away as prisoners. There they pray to you toward the land you gave their people long ago. They pray toward the city you have chosen. And they pray toward the temple I’ve built for your Name.Then listen to them from heaven. It’s the place where you live. Listen to their prayer. Listen to them when they ask you to help them. Stand up for them.Your people have sinned against you. Please forgive them. Forgive them for all the wrong things they’ve done against you. And make those who won the battle over them show mercy to them.

Here is a vision that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw about Judah and Jerusalem.In the last days the mountain where the Lord’ s temple is located will be famous. It will be the highest mountain of all. It will be raised above the hills. All the nations will go to it.People from many nations will go there. They will say,“ Come. Let us go up to the Lord’ s mountain. Let’s go to the temple of Jacob’s God. He will teach us how we should live. Then we will live the way he wants us to.” The law of the Lord will be taught at Zion. His message will go out from Jerusalem.

Turn to the Lord before it’s too late. Call out to him while he’s still ready to help you.Let those who are evil stop doing evil things. And let them quit thinking evil thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord. The Lord will show them his tender love. Let them turn to our God. He is always ready to forgive.

“ Jerusalem, sing! You are now like a woman who never had a child. Burst into song! Shout for joy! You who have never had labor pains, you are now all alone. But you will have more children than a woman who still has a husband,” says the Lord.“ Make a large area for your tent. Spread out its curtains. Go ahead and make your tent wider. Make its ropes longer. Drive the stakes down deeper.You will spread out to the right and the left. Your children after you will drive out the nations that are now living in your land. They will make their homes in the deserted cities of those nations.“ Do not be afraid. You will not be put to shame anymore. Do not be afraid of being dishonored. People will no longer make fun of you. You will forget the time when you suffered as slaves in Egypt. You will no longer remember the shame of being a widow in Babylon.I made you. I am now your husband. My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All. I am the Holy One of Israel. I have set you free. I am the God of the whole earth.You were like a wife who was deserted. And her heart was broken. You were like a wife who married young. And her husband sent her away. But now I am calling you to come back,” says your God.“ For a brief moment I left you. But because I love you so much, I will bring you back.For a moment I turned my face away from you. I was very angry with you. But I will show you my loving concern. My faithful love will continue forever,” says the Lord. He is the one who set you free.“ During Noah’s time I made a promise. I said I would never cover the earth with water again. In the same way, I have promised not to be angry with you. I will never punish you again.The mountains might shake. The hills might be removed. But my faithful love for you will never be shaken. And my covenant that promises peace to you will never be removed,” says the Lord. He shows you his loving concern.“ Suffering city, you have been beaten by storms. You have not been comforted. I will rebuild you with turquoise stones. I will rebuild your foundations with lapis lazuli.I will line the top of your city wall with rubies. I will make your gates out of gleaming jewels. And I will make all your walls out of precious stones.I will teach all your children. And they will enjoy great peace.When you do what is right, you will be made secure. Your leaders will not be mean to you. You will not have anything to be afraid of. You will not be terrified anymore. Terror will not come near you.

Lord, who is a God like you? You forgive sin. You forgive your people when they do what is wrong. You don’t stay angry forever. Instead, you take delight in showing your faithful love to them.Once again you will show loving concern for us. You will completely wipe out the evil things we’ve done. You will throw all our sins into the bottom of the sea.

May he be like rain falling on the fields. May he be like showers watering the earth.May godly people do well as long as he rules. May they have more than they need as long as the moon lasts.May the king rule from sea to sea. May his kingdom reach from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.May the desert tribes bow down to him. May his enemies lick the dust.May the kings of Tarshish and of places far away bring him gifts. May the kings of Sheba and Seba give him presents.May all kings bow down to him. May all nations serve him.The king will save needy people who cry out to him. He will save those who are hurting and have no one else to help.He will take pity on those who are weak and in need. He will save them from death.He will save them from people who treat others badly. He will save them from people who do mean things to them. Their lives are very special to him.May the king live a long time! May gold from Sheba be given to him. May people always pray for him. May they ask the Lord to bless him all day long.May there be plenty of grain everywhere in the land. May it sway in the wind on the tops of the hills. May the crops grow well, like those in Lebanon. May they grow like the grass of the field.May the king’s name be remembered forever. May his fame last as long as the sun shines. Then all nations will be blessed because of him. They will call him blessed.Give praise to the Lord God, the God of Israel. Only he can do wonderful things.Give praise to his glorious name forever. May his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.

Don’t just tear your clothes to show how sad you are. Let your hearts be broken. Return to the Lord your God. He is gracious. He is tender and kind. He is slow to get angry. He is full of love. He won’t bring his judgment. He won’t destroy you.

Tell the Lord you are turning away from your sins. Return to him. Say to him,“ Forgive us for all our sins. Please be kind to us. Welcome us back to you. Then our lips will offer you our praise.

Make the hearts of these people stubborn. Plug up their ears. Close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes. They might hear with their ears. They might understand with their hearts. And they might turn to me and be healed.”

“ I have heard the groans of Ephraim’s people. They say,‘ You corrected us like a calf you were training. And we have been trained. Bring us back to you, and we will come back. You are the Lord our God.After we wandered away from you, we turned away from our sins. After we learned our lesson, we beat our chests in sorrow. We were full of shame. What we did when we were young brought dishonor on us.’Aren’t the people of Ephraim my dear children? Aren’t they the children I take delight in? I often speak against them. But I still remember them. So my heart longs for them. I love them with a tender love,” announces the Lord.

“ You were like sheep wandering away.”( Isaiah 53:6) But now you have returned to the Shepherd. He is the one who watches over your souls.

Lord, be like a shepherd to your people. Take good care of them. They are your flock. They live by themselves in the safety of a forest. Rich grasslands are all around them. Let them eat grass in Bashan and Gilead just as they did long ago.The Lord says to his people,“ I showed you my wonders when you came out of Egypt long ago. In the same way, I will show them to you again.”

They will not get hungry or thirsty. The heat from the desert sun will not beat down on them. The God who has tender love for them will guide them. Like a shepherd, he will lead them beside springs of water.I will make roads across the mountains. I will build wide roads for my people.They will come from far away. Some of them will come from the north. Others will come from the west. Still others will come from Aswan in the south.”Shout for joy, you heavens! Be glad, you earth! Burst into song, you mountains! The Lord will comfort his people. He will show his tender love to those who are suffering.But the city of Zion said,“ The Lord has deserted me. The Lord has forgotten me.”The Lord answers,“ Can a mother forget the baby who is nursing at her breast? Can she stop having tender love for the child who was born to her? She might forget her child. But I will not forget you.I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Your walls are never out of my sight.Your people will hurry back. Those who destroyed you so completely will leave you.Look up. Look all around you. All your people are getting together to come back to you. You can be sure that I live,” announces the Lord.“ And you can be just as sure that your people will be like decorations you will wear. Like a bride, you will wear them proudly.“ Zion, you were destroyed. Your land was left empty. It was turned into a dry and empty desert. But now you will be too small to hold all your people. And those who destroyed you will be far away.The children born during your time of sorrow will speak to you. They will say,‘ This city is too small for us. Give us more space to live in.’Then you will say to yourself,‘ Whose children are these? I lost my children. And I couldn’t have any more. My children were taken far away from me. And no one wanted them. Who brought these children up? I was left all alone. So where have these children come from?’ ”The Lord and King continues,“ I will call out to the nations. I will give a signal to them. They will bring back your sons in their arms. They will carry your daughters on their hips.

“ I will create new heavens and a new earth. The things that have happened before will not be remembered. They will not even enter your minds.So be glad and full of joy forever because of what I will create. I will cause others to take delight in Jerusalem. They will be filled with joy when they see its people.And I will be full of joy because of Jerusalem. I will take delight in my people. Weeping and crying will not be heard there anymore.“ Babies in Jerusalem will no longer live only a few days. Old people will not fail to live for a very long time. Those who live to the age of 100 will be thought of as mere children when they die. Those who die before they are 100 will be considered as having been under God’s curse.My people will build houses and live in them. They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.They will no longer build houses only to have others live in them. They will no longer plant crops only to have others eat them. My people will live to be as old as trees. My chosen ones will enjoy for a long time the things they have worked for.Their work will not be worthless anymore. They will not have children who are sure to face sudden terror. Instead, I will bless them. I will also bless their children after them.Even before they call out to me, I will answer them. While they are still speaking, I will hear them.Wolves and lambs will eat together. Lions will eat straw like oxen. Serpents will eat nothing but dust. None of those animals will harm or destroy anything or anyone on my holy mountain of Zion,” says the Lord.

Sing a new song to the Lord. He has done wonderful things. By the power of his right hand and his holy arm he has saved his people.The Lord has made known his power to save. He has shown the nations that he does what is right.He has shown his faithful love to the people of Israel. People from one end of the earth to the other have seen that our God has saved us.Shout for joy to the Lord, everyone on earth. Burst into joyful songs and make music.Make music to the Lord with the harp. Sing and make music with the harp.Blow the trumpets. Give a blast on the ram’s horn. Shout for joy to the Lord. He is the King.Let the ocean and everything in it roar. Let the world and all who live in it shout.Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing together with joy.Let them sing to the Lord, because he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the nations of the world in keeping with what is right and fair.

People of Zion, sing! Israel, shout loudly! People of Jerusalem, be glad! Let your hearts be full of joy.The Lord has stopped punishing you. He has made your enemies turn away from you. The Lord is the King of Israel. He is with you. You will never again be afraid that others will harm you.The time is coming when people will say to Jerusalem,“ Zion, don’t be afraid. Don’t give up.The Lord your God is with you. He is the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you. In his love he will no longer punish you. Instead, he will sing for joy because of you.”The Lord says to his people,“ You used to celebrate my appointed feasts in Jerusalem. You are sad because you can’t do that anymore. Other people make fun of you because of that. That sadness was a heavy load for you to carry. But I will remove that load from you.At that time I will punish all those who crushed you. I will save those among you who are disabled. I will gather those who have been taken away. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have been put to shame.At that time I will gather you together. And I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the nations on earth. I will bless you with great success again,” says the Lord.

Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day.

“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time those who plow the land will catch up with those who harvest the crops. Those who stomp on grapes will catch up with those who plant the vines. Fresh wine will drip from the mountains. It will flow down from all the hills.I will bring my people Israel back home. I will bless them with great success again. They will rebuild the destroyed cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine they produce. They will make gardens and eat their fruit.I will plant Israel in their own land. They will never again be removed from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.

All these things will happen when he comes. On that day his glory will be seen in his holy people. Everyone who has believed will be amazed when they see him. This includes you, because you believed the witness we gave you.

Their children after them will be famous among the nations. Their families will be praised by people everywhere. All those who see them will agree that I have blessed them.”The people of Jerusalem will say,“ We take great delight in the Lord. We are joyful because we belong to our God. He has dressed us with salvation as if it were our clothes. He has put robes of godliness on us. We are like a groom who is dressed up for his wedding. We are like a bride who decorates herself with her jewels.The soil makes the young plant come up. A garden causes seeds to grow. In the same way, the Lord and King will make godliness grow. And all the nations will praise him.”The Lord says,“ For the good of Zion I will not keep silent. For Jerusalem’s benefit I will not remain quiet. I will not keep silent until what I will do for them shines like the sunrise. I will not remain quiet until they are saved and shine like a blazing torch.Jerusalem, the nations will see that I have made everything right for you. All their kings will see your glory. You will be called by a new name. I myself will give it to you.You will be like a glorious crown in my strong hand. You will be like a royal crown in my powerful hand.People will not call you Deserted anymore. They will no longer name your land Empty. Instead, you will be called One the Lord Delights In. Your land will be named Married One. That’s because the Lord will take delight in you. And your land will be married.As a young man marries a young woman, so your Builder will marry you. As a groom is happy with his bride, so your God will be full of joy over you.”

“ You can be sure that I will gather my people again. I will send them away when my burning anger blazes out against them. But I will bring them back to this place. And I will let them live in safety.They will be my people. And I will be their God.I will give them a single purpose in life. Then, they will always have respect for me. Then all will go well for them. And it will also go well for their children after them.I will make a covenant with them that will last forever. I promise that I will never stop doing good to them. I will cause them to respect me. Then they will never turn away from me again.I will take pleasure in doing good things for them. I will certainly plant them in this land. I will do these things with all my heart and soul.”

He wants me to help those in Zion who are filled with sorrow. I will put beautiful crowns on their heads in place of ashes. I will anoint them with olive oil to give them joy instead of sorrow. I will give them a spirit of praise in place of a spirit of sadness. They will be like oak trees that are strong and straight. The Lord himself will plant them in the land. That will show how glorious he is.

When they heard this, they didn’t object anymore. They praised God. They said,“ So then, God has allowed even Gentiles to turn away from their sins. He did this so that they could live.”

How long will you wander, my people Israel, who are not faithful to me? I will create a new thing on earth. The woman will return to the man.”The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,“ I will bring them back from the place where they were taken. Here is what the people in Judah and its towns will say once again.‘ May the Lord bless you, you successful city. Sacred mountain, may he bless you.’People will live together in Judah and all its towns. Farmers and shepherds will live there.I will give rest to those who are tired. I will satisfy those who are weak.”When I heard this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

Lord, please bring us back to you. Then we can return. Make our lives like new again.

The curses that are written in the Law of Moses have fallen on us. We have received nothing but trouble. You are the Lord our God. But we haven’t asked for your favor. We haven’t turned away from our sins. We’ve refused to pay attention to the laws you gave us.

Brothers and sisters, here is a mystery I want you to understand. It will keep you from being proud. Part of Israel has refused to obey God. That will continue until the full number of Gentiles has entered God’s kingdom.

Heaven must receive him until the time when God makes everything new. He promised this long ago through his holy prophets.

“ Here is what I will do in those days and at that time. I will make a godly Branch grow from David’s royal line. He will do what is fair and right in the land.In those days Judah will be saved. Jerusalem will live in safety. And it will be called The Lord Who Makes Us Right With Himself.”The Lord says,“ David will always have a son to sit on the throne of Israel.The priests, who are Levites, will always have a man to serve me. He will sacrifice burnt offerings. He will burn grain offerings. And he will offer sacrifices.”A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah.The Lord said,“ Could you ever break my covenant with the day? Could you ever break my covenant with the night? Could you ever stop day and night from coming at their appointed times?Only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then could my covenant with the Levites who serve me as priests be broken. Only then would David no longer have someone from his family line to rule on his throne.Here is what I will do for my servant David. And here is what I will do for the Levites who serve me. I will make their children after them as many as the stars in the sky. And I will make them as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. It will be impossible to count them.”A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. The Lord said,“ Haven’t you noticed what these people are saying? They say,‘ The Lord once chose the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. But now he has turned his back on them.’ So they hate my people. They do not think of them as a nation anymore.I say,‘ What if I had not made my covenant with day and night? What if I had not established the laws of heaven and earth?Only then would I turn my back on the children of Jacob and my servant David. Only then would I not choose one of David’s sons to rule over the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But I will bless my people with great success again. I will love them with tender love.’ ”

Wake up! Zion, wake up! Dress yourself with strength as if it were your clothes. Holy city of Jerusalem, put on your clothes of glory. Those who haven’t been circumcised will never enter you again. Neither will those who are“ unclean.”Get up, Jerusalem! Shake off your dust. Take your place on your throne. Captured people of Zion, remove the chains from your neck.The Lord says,“ When you were sold as slaves, no one paid anything for you. Now no one will pay any money to set you free.”The Lord and King continues,“ Long ago my people went down to Egypt. They lived there for a while. Later, Assyria crushed them without any reason.“ Now look at what has happened to them,” announces the Lord.“ Once again my people have been taken away. And no one paid anything for them. Those who rule over them brag about it,” announces the Lord.“ All day long without stopping, people speak evil things against my name.So the day will come when my people will really know the meaning of my name. They will know what kind of God I am. They will know that I told them ahead of time they would return to their land. They will know that it was I.”What a beautiful sight it is to see messengers coming with good news! How beautiful to see them coming down from the mountains with a message about peace! How wonderful it is when they bring the good news that we are saved! How wonderful when they say to Zion,“ Your God rules!”Listen! Those on guard duty are shouting out the message. With their own eyes they see the Lord returning to Zion. So they shout for joy.Burst into songs of joy together, you broken- down buildings in Jerusalem. The Lord has comforted his people. He has set Jerusalem free.The Lord will use the power of his holy arm to save his people. All the nations will see him do it. Everyone from one end of the earth to the other will see it.

The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time people will search for Israel’s guilt. But they will not find any. They will search for Judah’s sins. But they will not find any. That is because I will forgive the people I have spared.

He continued,“ Many nations will still come to you. And those who live in many cities will also come.The people who live in one city will go to another city. They will say,‘ Let’s go right away to ask the Lord for his blessing. Let’s look to him as our God. We ourselves are going.’Large numbers of people and nations will come to Jerusalem. They will look to me. They will ask me to bless them.”He continued,“ At that time many people of all nations and languages will take hold of one Jew. They will grab hold of the hem of his robe. And they will say,‘ We want to go to Jerusalem with you. We’ve heard that God is with you.’ ”

The Lord will roar like a lion from Jerusalem. His voice will sound like thunder from Zion. The earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will keep the people of Israel safe. He will be a place of safety for them.The Lord says,“ You will know that I am the Lord your God. I live in Zion. It is my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be my holy city. People from other lands will never again attack it.“ At that time fresh wine will drip from the mountains. Milk will flow down from the hills. Water will run through all Judah’s valleys. A fountain will flow out of my temple. It will water the places where acacia trees grow.But Egypt will be deserted. Edom will become a dry and empty desert. They did terrible harm to the people of Judah. My people were not guilty of doing anything wrong. But Egypt and Edom spilled their blood anyway.My people will live in Judah and Jerusalem forever. The land will be their home for all time to come.Egypt and Edom have spilled my people’s blood. Should I let them escape my judgment? No, I will not.” The Lord lives in Zion!

Blessed is the person whose lawless acts are forgiven. Their sins have been taken away.Blessed is the person whose sin the Lord never counts against them. That person doesn’t want to cheat anyone.When I kept silent about my sin, my body became weak because I groaned all day long.Day and night you punished me. I became weaker and weaker as I do in the heat of summer.Then I admitted my sin to you. I didn’t cover up the wrong I had done. I said,“ I will admit my lawless acts to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

I will make Israel my own. She will belong to me forever. I will do to her what is right and fair. I will love her tenderly.I will be faithful to her. And she will recognize me as the Lord.“ So at that time I will answer her,” announces the Lord.“ I will command the skies to send rain on the earth.Then the earth will produce grain, olive oil and fresh wine. And Israel will be called Jezreel. That’s because I will answer her prayers.I will plant her in the land for myself. I will show my love to the one I called Not My Loved One. I will say,‘ You are my people’ to those who were called Not My People. And they will say,‘ You are my God.’ ”

Perhaps while you are there, you will seek the Lord your God. You will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.All the things I’ve told you about might happen to you. And you will be in trouble. But later you will return to the Lord your God. You will obey him.The Lord your God is tender and loving. He won’t leave you or destroy you. He won’t forget the covenant he made with your people of long ago. He gave his word when he made it.

The church sent them on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria. There they told how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made all the believers very glad.

Those the Lord has saved will return to their land. They will sing as they enter the city of Zion. Joy that lasts forever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads. They will be filled with gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing will be gone.

“ Be glad along with Jerusalem, all you who love her. Be filled with joy because of her. Take great delight in her, all you who mourn over her.You will nurse at her comforting breasts. And you will be satisfied. You will drink until you are full. And you will delight in her rich and plentiful supply.”The Lord continues,“ I will cause peace to flow over her like a river. I will make the wealth of nations sweep over her like a flooding stream. You will nurse and be carried in her arms. You will play on her lap.As a mother comforts her child, I will comfort you. You will find comfort in Jerusalem.”When you see that happen, your hearts will be filled with joy. Just as grass grows quickly, you will succeed. The Lord will show his power to those who serve him. But he will pour out his anger on his enemies.

The Lord and King says,“ I will now cause the people of Jacob to recover from my judgment. I will show my tender love for all the people of Israel. I will make sure that my name is kept holy.My people will forget the shameful things they have done. They will not remember all the ways they were unfaithful to me. They used to live in safety in their land. At that time no one made them afraid.So I will bring them back from the nations. I will gather them from the countries of their enemies. And I will use them to prove to many nations how holy I am.Then they will know that I am the Lord their God. I let the nations take my people away as prisoners. But now I will bring them back to their own land. I will not leave anyone behind.I will no longer turn my face away from the people of Israel. I will pour out my Spirit on them,” announces the Lord and King.

He has removed our sins from us. He has removed them as far as the east is from the west.

Tell them,‘ The Lord and King says,“ I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them together from all around. I will bring them back to their own land.There I will make them one nation. They will live on the mountains of Israel. All of them will have one king. They will never be two nations again. They will never again be separated into two kingdoms.They will no longer make themselves‘ unclean’ by worshiping any of their evil gods. They will not do wrong things anymore. They always turn away from me. But I will save them from that sin. I will make them pure and‘ clean.’ They will be my people. And I will be their God.“‘ “A man who belongs to the family line of my servant David will be their king. All of them will have one shepherd. They will obey my laws. And they will be careful to keep my rules.They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob. That is where your people of long ago lived. They, their children, their children’s children, and their children after them will live there forever. And my servant from David’s family line will be their prince forever.I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. The covenant will last forever. I will make them my people. And I will cause there to be many of them. I will put my temple among them forever.I will live with them. I will be their God. And they will be my people.My temple will be among them forever. Then the nations will know that I make Israel holy. I am the Lord.” ’ ”

“ So I will judge you Israelites. I will judge each of you in keeping with what you have done,” announces the Lord and King.“ Turn away from your sins! Turn away from all the evil things you have done. Then sin will not bring you down.Get rid of all the evil things you have done. Let me give you a new heart and a new spirit. Then you will be faithful to me. Why should you die, people of Israel?When anyone dies, it does not give me any joy,” announces the Lord and King.“ So turn away from your sins. Then you will live!

“ They have planned to do many evil things. And they have carried out their plans. So I will come and gather the people of every nation and language. They will see my glory when I act.“ I will give them a sign. I will send to the nations some of those who are left alive. I will send some of them to the people of Tarshish, Libya and Lydia, who are famous for using bows. I will send others to Tubal and Greece. And I will send still others to islands far away. The people who live there have not heard about my fame. They have not seen my glory. But when I act, those I send will tell the nations about my glory.And they will bring back all the people of Israel from all those nations. They will bring them to my holy mountain in Jerusalem. My people will ride on horses, mules and camels. They will come in chariots and wagons,” says the Lord.“ Those messengers will bring my people as an offering to me. They will bring them to my temple, just as the Israelites bring their grain offerings in bowls that are‘ clean.’And I will choose some of them to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.“ I will make new heavens and a new earth. And they will last forever,” announces the Lord.“ In the same way, your name and your children after you will last forever.

I will place one shepherd over them. He will belong to the family line of my servant David. He will take good care of them. He will look after them. He will be their shepherd.I am the Lord. I will be their God. And my servant from David’s family line will be the prince among them. I have spoken. I am the Lord.“ I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. I will get rid of the wild animals in the land. Then my sheep can live safely in the desert. They can sleep in the forests.I will make them and the places surrounding my holy mountain of Zion a blessing. I will send down rain at the right time. There will be showers of blessing.The trees will bear their fruit. And the ground will produce its crops. The people will be secure in their land. I will break the chains that hold them. I will save them from the power of those who made them slaves. Then they will know that I am the Lord.The nations will not carry them off anymore. Wild animals will no longer eat them up. They will live in safety. And no one will make them afraid.I will give them a land that is famous for its crops. They will never again be hungry there. The nations will not make fun of them anymore.Then they will know that I am with them. I am the Lord their God. And the Israelites will know that they are my people,” announces the Lord and King.“ You are my sheep. You belong to my flock. And I am your God,” announces the Lord and King.

Then I will teach your ways to those who commit lawless acts. And sinners will turn back to you.

Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living. Let’s return to the Lord.

“ This is the covenant I will make with Israel after that time,” announces the Lord.“ I will put my law in their minds. I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God. And they will be my people.They will not need to teach their neighbor anymore. And they will not need to teach one another anymore. They will not need to say,‘ Know the Lord.’ That’s because everyone will know me. From the least important of them to the most important, all of them will know me,” announces the Lord.“ I will forgive their evil ways. I will not remember their sins anymore.”

God, have mercy on me according to your faithful love. Because your love is so tender and kind, wipe out my lawless acts.Wash away all the evil things I’ve done. Make me pure from my sin.I know the lawless acts I’ve committed. I can’t forget my sin.

“ People of Jerusalem, get up. Shine, because your light has come. The glory of the Lord will shine on you.Darkness covers the earth. Thick darkness spreads over the nations. But I will rise and shine on you. My glory will appear over you.Nations will come to your light. Kings will come to the brightness of your new day.“ Look up. Look all around you. All your people are getting together to come back to you. Your sons will come from far away. Your daughters will be carried on the hip like little children.Then your face will glow with joy. Your heart will beat fast because you are so happy. Wealth from across the ocean will be brought to you. The riches of the nations will come to you.Herds of young camels will cover your land. They will come from Midian and Ephah. They will also come from Sheba. They’ll carry gold and incense. And people will shout praises to me.All of Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve as your sacrifices. I will accept them as offerings on my altar. That is how I will bring honor to my glorious temple.“ Whose ships are these that sail along like clouds? They fly like doves to their nests.People from the islands are coming to me. The ships of Tarshish are out in front. They are bringing your children back from far away. Your children are bringing their silver and gold with them. They are coming to honor me. I am the Lord your God. I am the Holy One of Israel. I have honored you.“ People from other lands will rebuild your walls. Their kings will serve you. When I was angry with you, I struck you. But now I will show you my tender love.Your gates will always stand open. They will never be shut, day or night. Then people can bring you the wealth of the nations. Their kings will come along with them.The nation or kingdom that will not serve you will be destroyed. It will be completely wiped out.“ Lebanon’s glorious trees will be brought to you. Its junipers, firs and cypress trees will be brought. They will be used to make my temple beautiful. And I will bring glory to the place where my throne is.The children of those who crush you will come and bow down to you. All those who hate you will kneel down at your feet. Jerusalem, they will call you the City of the Lord. They will name you Zion, the City of the Holy One of Israel.“ You have been deserted and hated. No one even travels through you. But I will make you into something to be proud of forever. You will be a place of joy for all time to come.You will get everything you need from kings and nations. You will be like children who are nursing at their mother’s breasts. Then you will know that I am the one who saves you. I am the Lord. I set you free. I am the Mighty One of Jacob.Instead of bronze I will bring you gold. In place of iron I will give you silver. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze. In place of stones I will give you iron. I will make peace govern you. I will make godliness rule over you.People will no longer harm one another in your land. They will not wipe out or destroy anything inside your borders. You will call your walls Salvation. And you will name your gates Praise.You will not need the light of the sun by day anymore. The bright light of the moon will no longer have to shine on you. I will be your light forever. My glory will shine on you. I am the Lord your God.Your sun will never set again. Your moon will never lose its light. I will be your light forever. Your days of sorrow will come to an end.Then all your people will do what is right. The land will belong to them forever. They will be like a young tree I have planted. My hands have created them. They will show how glorious I am.The smallest family among you will become a tribe. The smallest tribe will become a mighty nation. I am the Lord. When it is the right time, I will act quickly.”

From one man he made all the people of the world. Now they live all over the earth. He decided exactly when they should live. And he decided exactly where they should live.

‘ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death.’( Isaiah 25:8) And there will be no more sadness. There will be no more crying or pain. Things are no longer the way they used to be.”

They must gently teach those who are against them. Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth.