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

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,

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.

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

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,“ Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”

“ I— yes, I alone— will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.

Then he said,“ I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.“ Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord.“ Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat.But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels,

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him,“ Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.

to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’“ And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven.I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God— and prove they have changed by the good things they do.

My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back,you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their enemies and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors— toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—then hear their prayers and their petition from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause.Forgive your people who have sinned against you. Forgive all the offenses they have committed against you. Make their captors merciful to them,

This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.People from many nations will come and say,“ Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

“ Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord.“ Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense!For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities.“ Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.For the Lord has called you back from your grief— as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband,” says your God.“ For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will take you back.In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while. But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.“ Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you.For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you.“ O storm battered city, troubled and desolate! I will rebuild you with precious jewels and make your foundations from lapis lazuli.I will make your towers of sparkling rubies, your gates of shining gems, and your walls of precious stones.I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace.You will be secure under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away. You will live in peace, and terror will not come near.

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth.May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.Desert nomads will bow before him; his enemies will fall before him in the dust.The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him gifts.All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him.He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them.He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.Long live the king! May the gold of Sheba be given to him. May the people always pray for him and bless him all day long.May there be abundant grain throughout the land, flourishing even on the hilltops. May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of Lebanon, and may the people thrive like grass in a field.May the king’s name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him and bring him praise.Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things.Praise his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!

Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him,“ Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises.

Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.”

I have heard Israel saying,‘ You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.’“ Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord.“ I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.

Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

O Lord, protect your people with your shepherd’s staff; lead your flock, your special possession. Though they live alone in a thicket on the heights of Mount Carmel, let them graze in the fertile pastures of Bashan and Gilead as they did long ago.“ Yes,” says the Lord,“ I will do mighty miracles for you, like those I did when I rescued you from slavery in Egypt.”

They will neither hunger nor thirst. The searing sun will not reach them anymore. For the Lord in his mercy will lead them; he will lead them beside cool waters.And I will make my mountains into level paths for them. The highways will be raised above the valleys.See, my people will return from far away, from lands to the north and west, and from as far south as Egypt.”Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering.Yet Jerusalem says,“ The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.”“ Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.Soon your descendants will come back, and all who are trying to destroy you will go away.Look around you and see, for all your children will come back to you. As surely as I live,” says the Lord,“ they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display.“ Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land will soon be crowded with your people. Your enemies who enslaved you will be far away.The generations born in exile will return and say,‘ We need more room! It’s crowded here!’Then you will think to yourself,‘ Who has given me all these descendants? For most of my children were killed, and the rest were carried away into exile. I was left here all alone. Where did all these people come from? Who bore these children? Who raised them for me?’”This is what the Sovereign Lord says:“ See, I will give a signal to the godless nations. They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms; they will bring your daughters on their shoulders.

“ Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy.I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.“ No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young!In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards.Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard won gains.They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed.I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!The Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song,with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in.Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joybefore the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be,“ Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”“ I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more.And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and fame to my former exiles, wherever they have been mocked and shamed.On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction, among all the nations of the earth, as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

“ The time will come,” says the Lord,“ when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested. Then the terraced vineyards on the hills of Israel will drip with sweet wine!I will bring my exiled people of Israel back from distant lands, and they will rebuild their ruined cities and live in them again. They will plant vineyards and gardens; they will eat their crops and drink their wine.I will firmly plant them there in their own land. They will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.

When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people— praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. And you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth.The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see— a splendid crown in the hand of God.Never again will you be called“ The Forsaken City” or“ The Desolate Land.” Your new name will be“ The City of God’s Delight” and“ The Bride of God,” for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride.Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem, just as a young man commits himself to his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

I will certainly 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.They will be my people, and I will be their God.And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me.I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land.

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said,“ We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”

How long will you wander, my wayward daughter? For the Lord will cause something new to happen— Israel will embrace her God.”This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:“ When I bring them back from captivity, the people of Judah and its towns will again say,‘ The Lord bless you, O righteous home, O holy mountain!’Townspeople and farmers and shepherds alike will live together in peace and happiness.For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very sweet.

Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had!

Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth.

I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.

“ In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name:‘ The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’For this is what the Lord says: David will have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel forever.And there will always be Levitical priests to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings and sacrifices to me.”Then this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:“ This is what the Lord says: If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that one does not follow the other,only then will my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me.And as the stars of the sky cannot be counted and the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who minister before me.”The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said,“ Have you noticed what people are saying?—‘ The Lord chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!’ They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation.But this is what the Lord says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky.I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David’s descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them.”

Wake up, wake up, O Zion! Clothe yourself with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem. Sit in a place of honor. Remove the chains of slavery from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.For this is what the Lord says:“ When I sold you into exile, I received no payment. Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.”This is what the Sovereign Lord says:“ Long ago my people chose to live in Egypt. Now they are oppressed by Assyria.What is this?” asks the Lord.“ Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long.But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.”How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.

In those days,” says the Lord,“ no sin will be found in Israel or in Judah, for I will forgive the remnant I preserve.

“ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem.The people of one city will say to the people of another,‘ Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing.“ This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say,‘ Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel.“ Then you will know that I, the Lord your God, live in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy forever, and foreign armies will never conquer her again.In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. Water will fill the streambeds of Judah, and a fountain will burst forth from the Lord’s Temple, watering the arid valley of acacias.But Egypt will become a wasteland and Edom will become a wilderness, because they attacked the people of Judah and killed innocent people in their land.“ But Judah will be filled with people forever, and Jerusalem will endure through all generations.I will pardon my people’s crimes, which I have not yet pardoned; and I, the Lord, will make my home in Jerusalem with my people.”

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. InterludeFinally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself,“ I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion.I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord.“ In that day, I will answer,” says the Lord.“ I will answer the sky as it pleads for clouds. And the sky will answer the earth with rain.Then the earth will answer the thirsty cries of the grain, the grapevines, and the olive trees. And they in turn will answer,‘ Jezreel’—‘ God plants!’At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself. I will show love to those I called‘ Not loved.’ And to those I called‘ Not my people,’ I will say,‘ Now you are my people.’ And they will reply,‘ You are our God!’”

But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.“ In the distant future, when you are suffering all these things, you will finally return to the Lord your God and listen to what he tells you.For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.

The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them— much to everyone’s joy— that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.

Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.

“ Rejoice with Jerusalem! Be glad with her, all you who love her and all you who mourn for her.Drink deeply of her glory even as an infant drinks at its mother’s comforting breasts.”This is what the Lord says:“ I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity. The wealth of the nations will flow to her. Her children will be nursed at her breasts, carried in her arms, and held on her lap.I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child.”When you see these things, your heart will rejoice. You will flourish like the grass! Everyone will see the Lord’s hand of blessing on his servants— and his anger against his enemies.

“ So now, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will end the captivity of my people; I will have mercy on all Israel, for I jealously guard my holy reputation!They will accept responsibility for their past shame and unfaithfulness after they come home to live in peace in their own land, with no one to bother them.When I bring them home from the lands of their enemies, I will display my holiness among them for all the nations to see.Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind.And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

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

And give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered.I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms.They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful apostasy. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.“ My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees.They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever, generation after generation. And my servant David will be their prince forever.And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever.I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.And when my Temple is among them forever, the nations will know that I am the Lord, who makes Israel holy.”

“ Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you!Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!

“ I can see what they are doing, and I know what they are thinking. So I will gather all nations and peoples together, and they will see my glory.I will perform a sign among them. And I will send those who survive to be messengers to the nations— to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians( who are famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to all the lands beyond the sea that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. There they will declare my glory to the nations.They will bring the remnant of your people back from every nation. They will bring them to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord. They will ride on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord.“ And I will appoint some of them to be my priests and Levites. I, the Lord, have spoken!“ As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear,” says the Lord.

And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them.And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!“ I will make a covenant of peace with my people and drive away the dangerous animals from the land. Then they will be able to camp safely in the wildest places and sleep in the woods without fear.I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the Lord.They will no longer be prey for other nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will frighten them.“ And I will make their land famous for its crops, so my people will never again suffer from famines or the insults of foreign nations.In this way, they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign Lord.You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.

Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.

“ But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord.“ I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying,‘ You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord.“ And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

“ Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance.“ Look and see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands; your little daughters will be carried home.Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to you. They will bring you the wealth of many lands.Vast caravans of camels will converge on you, the camels of Midian and Ephah. The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense and will come worshiping the Lord.The flocks of Kedar will be given to you, and the rams of Nebaioth will be brought for my altars. I will accept their offerings, and I will make my Temple glorious.“ And what do I see flying like clouds to Israel, like doves to their nests?They are ships from the ends of the earth, from lands that trust in me, led by the great ships of Tarshish. They are bringing the people of Israel home from far away, carrying their silver and gold. They will honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has filled you with splendor.“ Foreigners will come to rebuild your towns, and their kings will serve you. For though I have destroyed you in my anger, I will now have mercy on you through my grace.Your gates will stay open day and night to receive the wealth of many lands. The kings of the world will be led as captives in a victory procession.For the nations that refuse to serve you will be destroyed.“ The glory of Lebanon will be yours— the forests of cypress, fir, and pine— to beautify my sanctuary. My Temple will be glorious!The descendants of your tormentors will come and bow before you. Those who despised you will kiss your feet. They will call you the City of the Lord, and Zion of the Holy One of Israel.“ Though you were once despised and hated, with no one traveling through you, I will make you beautiful forever, a joy to all generations.Powerful kings and mighty nations will satisfy your every need, as though you were a child nursing at the breast of a queen. You will know at last that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.I will exchange your bronze for gold, your iron for silver, your wood for bronze, and your stones for iron. I will make peace your leader and righteousness your ruler.Violence will disappear from your land; the desolation and destruction of war will end. Salvation will surround you like city walls, and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there.“ No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end.All your people will be righteous. They will possess their land forever, for I will plant them there with my own hands in order to bring myself glory.The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.”

From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.