The Daily Audio Bible
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True Worship and False Gods
10 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O people of Israel. 2 The Lord says, “Do not learn the way of the nations. And do not be afraid of the things seen in the heavens, even if the nations are afraid of them. 3 For the ways of the people are of no use. They cut wood from the trees. A workman cuts it with an ax. 4 They make it beautiful with silver and gold. They put it together with nails so that it cannot fall apart. 5 Their false gods are like a wooden man set up in a vegetable field to make birds be afraid and stay away. They cannot speak. They must be carried, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot hurt you. And they cannot help you.”
6 There is no one like You, O Lord. You are great, and Your name is great in power. 7 Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For You should be honored with fear. Among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their lands, there is no one like You. 8 They are all poor thinkers and foolish. What can they learn from a false god of wood? 9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of an able workman and of one who works with gold. Their clothing is blue and purple. They are all the work of able workmen. 10 But the Lord is the true God. He is the living God and the King Who lives forever. The earth shakes at His anger. And the nations cannot last when He is angry.
11 This is what you should say to them: “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will be destroyed from the earth and from under the heavens.”
A Song of Praise
12 It is He Who made the earth by His power, and the world by His wisdom. By His understanding He has spread out the heavens. 13 When He speaks, there is a storm of waters in the heavens. He makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and brings out the wind from His store-houses. 14 Every man is a poor thinker and without learning. Every one who works with gold is put to shame by his false gods. For his objects of worship fool people. There is no breath in them. 15 They are without worth, and make fun of the truth. In the time of their punishment, they will be destroyed. 16 He Who is the God of Jacob is not like these, for He has made all things. And Israel is His chosen family. The Lord of All is His name.
People of Jerusalem Will Be Taken Away
17 Pick up your load from the ground, you who are shut in by armies! 18 For the Lord says, “See, I am throwing out the people of the land at this time. And I will trouble them, that they may feel it.”
19 It is bad for me because I am hurt! My sore cannot be healed. But I said, “For sure this sickness is mine, and I must suffer with it.” 20 My tent is destroyed and all my ropes are broken. My sons have gone from me and are no more. There is no one to put up my tent again or to set up my curtains. 21 For the shepherds are poor thinkers and have not asked for the Lord’s help. So they have not done well, and all their flock is sent different places. 22 Listen, the sound of news! See, it comes! Much noise of moving is coming out of the land of the north to destroy the cities of Judah, and to make it a place where wild dogs live.
Jeremiah’s Prayer
23 O Lord, I know that a man’s way is not known by himself. It is not in man to lead his own steps. 24 Punish me when I need it, O Lord, but be fair. Do not punish me in Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing. 25 Pour out Your anger on the nations that do not know You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have destroyed Jacob. They have destroyed him and have laid waste his land.
The Agreement Is Broken
11 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Hear the words of this agreement, and speak to the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. 3 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “Cursed is the man who does not listen to the words of this agreement 4 which I told to your fathers before you when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I brought them from the land that was like an iron stove. I said to them, ‘Listen to My voice, and do all that I tell you. Then you will be My people and I will be your God.’ 5 And so I will keep the promise I made to your fathers before you, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I answered and said, “Let it be so, O Lord.”
6 The Lord said to me, “Make these words known in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this agreement and do them. 7 For by My strong words I told your fathers of the danger when I brought them up from the land of Egypt. I kept telling them even to this day, saying, “Listen to My voice.” 8 Yet they did not obey or listen. Every one walked in his own strong-will because of his sinful heart. So I brought upon them all the words of this agreement, which I told them to do, but they did not.’”
9 Then the Lord said to me, “Sinful plans have been made by the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their fathers before them who would not listen to My words. And they have gone to serve other gods. The people of Israel and Judah have broken the agreement I made with their fathers.” 11 So the Lord says, “See, I am bringing much trouble on them. They will not be able to get away from it. Even when they cry to Me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they burn special perfume. But they cannot save them in the time of their trouble. 13 For your gods are as many as your cities, O Judah. And your altars you have set up to burn special perfume to the false god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.
14 “So do not pray for these people. Do not lift up a cry or prayer for them. For I will not listen when they call to Me because of their trouble. 15 What right has My loved one to be in My house when she has done many sinful acts? Can animals killed on My altar take your trouble away from you? Can you then find joy?” 16 The Lord called you, “A green olive tree, beautiful and with good fruit.” But with a noise like thunder He set fire to it, and its branches were destroyed. 17 The Lord of All, Who planted you, has said that bad will come to you because of the sin of the people of Israel and of the people of Judah. They have done wrong to make Me angry by burning special perfume to the false god Baal.
Men of Anathoth Want to Kill Jeremiah
18 The Lord made it known to me and I knew it. You showed me the sinful things they did. 19 But I was like a gentle lamb led to be killed. I did not know that they had made plans against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit. Let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.” 20 But, O Lord of All, Who is right as He judges, Who tests the heart and the mind, let me see You punish them. For I have put my cause before You.
21 So the Lord speaks about the men of Anathoth who want to kill you. These men say, “Do not speak in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand.” 22 So the Lord of All says, “See, I am about to punish them! The young men will die by the sword. And their sons and daughters will die from hunger. 23 None of them will be left. For I will bring much trouble to the men of Anathoth, in the year of their punishment.”
How Families Should Live
18 Wives, obey your husbands. This is what the Lord wants you to do. 19 Husbands, love your wives. Do not hold hard feelings against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything. The Lord is pleased when you do. 21 Fathers, do not be so hard on your children that they will give up trying to do what is right.
22 You who are servants who are owned by someone, obey your owners. Work hard for them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Work for them as you would for the Lord because you honor God. 23 Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart. Do it for the Lord and not for men. 24 Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ. 25 If anyone does wrong, he will suffer for it. God does not respect one person more than another.
4 Owners, give your servants what is right. Do the same for all. Remember that your Owner is in heaven.
Some Things to Do
2 You must keep praying. Keep watching! Be thankful always. 3 As you pray, be sure to pray for us also. Pray that God will open the door for us to preach the Word. We want to tell the secret of Christ. And this is the reason I am in prison. 4 Pray that I will be able to preach so everyone can understand. This is the way I should speak. 5 Be wise in the way you live around those who are not Christians. Make good use of your time. 6 Speak with them in such a way they will want to listen to you. Do not let your talk sound foolish. Know how to give the right answer to anyone.
Paul’s Helpers Say Hello
7 Tychicus will tell you how I am getting along. He is a much-loved brother and faithful helper. Both of us are owned by the Lord. 8 This is the reason I have sent him to you. It is so you can know about us. He can also bring joy to your hearts. 9 Onesimus is going with Tychicus. He is one of your own people. He is faithful and we love him very much. They will tell you about everything here.
10 One of the men here in prison with me is Aristarchus. He says hello you. Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, says hello. (You have heard before that if he comes to you, you are to receive him and make him happy.) 11 Jesus Justus says hello also. These are the only Jewish workers helping me teach about the holy nation of God. What a help they have been to me!
12 Epaphras says hello. He is one of your people and a servant of Jesus Christ. As he prays for you, he asks God to help you to be strong and to make you perfect. He prays that you will know what God wants you to do in all things. 13 I can tell you for sure that he works hard for you and for the Christians in the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dear doctor, and Demas say hello. 15 Greet all the Christians in Laodicea. Greet Nympha and the Christians who gather for church in her house.
16 When this letter has been read to you, have it read in the church in Laodicea also. Be sure you read the letter that is coming from Laodicea. 17 Tell Archippus to be sure to finish the work the Lord called him to do.
18 I, Paul, am writing this last part with my own hand. Do not forget that I am in prison. May you have God’s loving-favor.
56 But they tempted and went against the Most High God. They did not keep His Law. 57 They turned away and acted without faith like their fathers. They were like a bow that cannot be trusted. 58 They made Him angry with their sinful places of worship. And they made Him jealous with their false gods. 59 God was very angry when He heard them, and He hated Israel. 60 He left the holy tent at Shiloh, the tent He had set up among men. 61 And He let His strength be taken. He put His greatness into the hands of those who hated Israel. 62 He allowed His people to be killed with the sword. And He was very angry with those who belong to Him. 63 Fire burned up their young men. And their young women had no wedding songs. 64 Their religious leaders fell by the sword. And the women who lost their husbands could not cry.
65 Then the Lord woke up as if from sleep, like a strong man wild with wine. 66 He beat back those who hated Him. And He put them to shame forever. 67 He turned away from the tent of Joseph. He did not choose the family of Ephraim, 68 but chose the family of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved. 69 He built His holy place like the high mountains, like the earth He has built forever. 70 He chose David, His servant and took him from the flocks of sheep. 71 He brought him from caring for the sheep and their lambs to being the shepherd of Jacob His people, and Israel who belongs to Him. 72 So David was their shepherd with a heart that was right, and led them with good hands and wisdom.
28 Do not speak against your neighbor without a reason, and do not lie with your lips. 29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me. I will pay the man for what he has done.”
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