Jeremiah 31:8-34

8See what I will do! I will bring them back from the land in the north. Wherever they are, I will bring them back. A great crowd of my people will return. Blind people will be among them, and people who cannot walk well. There will be pregnant women and some who will very soon give birth.

9They will be weeping as they come. They will pray for my help as I lead them. I will lead them beside streams of fresh water, and on flat paths where they will not fall down. I will help them because I am a father for Israel's people. Ephraim is like my firstborn son.’

10People of all nations, listen to the Lord's message. Shout it aloud for everyone to hear, even those who live on the coasts far away. Say, ‘The Lord chased Israel's people away, but now he will bring them back. He will take care of them, like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep.’

11Yes, the Lord will rescue Jacob's descendants. He will pay the cost to let them be free. They will no longer be under the power of people who were stronger than them.

12His people will come back to Mount Zion, and they will shout with joy. They will be very happy because of all the good things that the Lord gives to them. There will be grain to make bread, new wine and olive oil. There will be lambs and young cows. They will grow and be strong, like a garden that has plenty of water. They will not be weak or sad any more.

13The Lord says this: ‘Young women will dance because they are happy. The young men and the old men will also be happy. I will cause them to laugh instead of weep. I will comfort them, so that they are happy instead of sad.

14I will give the priests plenty of good things. My people will have everything that they need, because of all the good things that I give to them.’

15The Lord says, ‘You can hear a sad noise in Ramah. Someone is weeping with a loud voice. It is Rachel, and she is weeping for her children. Nobody can help her to stop weeping, because her children are dead.’

16The Lord says, ‘Stop crying! Do not weep any more! I will help you because of what you have done. Your children will return from the land of their enemies.’ That is what the Lord says.

17‘Yes, you will have descendants in the future. Your children will return to their own land.’ That is what the Lord says.

18‘I have heard Israel's people when they are sad. They say to me, “You punished us, and we accepted it. You taught us to obey you, like a farmer teaches an ox to work for him. So let us come back to serve you. We are ready to return to you, because you are the Lord, our God.

19After we turned away from you, we were sorry that we had done that. We understood what we had done, and we showed that we were sad. We were ashamed and upset, because of the disgusting things that we did when we were young.”

20But Israel's people are my own dear children. I still love them, even when I have to speak against them. I can never forget them. I only want to help them. I will certainly be kind to them.’ That is what the Lord says.

21‘People of Israel, put up signs along the roads, so that you know the way to go. Remember the road that you travelled on when you went away from your land. Now return, my special people, Israel. Return to your cities that you had to leave.

22You went away from me, like a daughter who refuses to obey her father. Do not continue to turn away from me. I, the Lord, promise to do a new thing. Women will take care of men!’

23The Lord Almighty, Israel's God, says this: ‘I will bring my people back from the land where they have been prisoners. Then the people in the towns of Judah will again say, “We pray that the Lord will bless you, Jerusalem. You are the special place where he lives on his holy mountain!”

24People will live together in the towns of Judah. Farmers and shepherds will work in the fields.

25I will help those who feel tired. I will make those who feel weak strong again.

26Then they will say, “When I woke from my sleep and I looked around, I was happy.” ’

27The Lord says this: ‘The time will come when I fill the lands of Israel and Judah with people and animals.

28In past time, I chose to pull them out of their land, like a plant with its roots. I knocked them down and I destroyed them. But now I will put them in their land again, like strong plants.’ That is what the Lord says.

29‘When that happens, people will not say, “The fathers have eaten bitter fruit, but it causes their children's teeth to hurt.”

30Instead, I will punish everyone for their own sins. It will be the teeth of the person who eats bitter fruit that will hurt.’

31The Lord says, ‘A time will soon come when I make a new covenant with Israel's people and with Judah's people.

32It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors. At that time, I brought them safely out of Egypt. I took care of them, like a faithful husband who takes care of his wife. But they did not obey my covenant.’ That is what the Lord says.

33‘Yes, I will make a new covenant with Israel's people at that time. It will be like this: I will put my law deep inside them, in their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ That is what the Lord says.

34‘Then people will not have to teach their friends or their family about me. They will all know me already. The important people and the ordinary people will all know me. I will forgive the wicked things that they have done. I will no longer think about their sins.’ That is what the Lord says.