May 19
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Jeremiah 3

Chapter 3

3:1If a man divorces his wife
and she leaves him to marry another,
can he ever return to her?
Wouldn't such a land become totally defiled?
But you!
You have played the prostitute with many partners-
can you return to Me?

This is the Lord's declaration.
2Look to the barren heights and see.
Where have you not been immoral?
You sat waiting for them beside the highways
like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled the land
with your prostitution and wickedness.
3This is why the showers haven't come-
why there has been no spring rain.
You have the brazen look of a prostitute
and refuse to be ashamed.
4Have you not lately called to Me, "My Father.
You were my friend in my youth.
5Will He bear a grudge forever?
Will He be endlessly infuriated?"
This is what you have said,
but you have done the evil things
you are capable of.
6In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, "Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there. 7I thought: After she has done all these things, she will return to Me. But she didn't return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8I observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself. 9Indifferent to her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn't return to Me with all her heart-only in pretense."

This is the Lord's declaration.
11The Lord announced to me, "Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say:
Return, unfaithful Israel.

This is the Lord's declaration.
I will not look on you with anger,
for I am unfailing in My love.

This is the Lord's declaration.
I will not be angry forever.
13Only acknowledge your guilt-
you have rebelled against the Lord your God.
You have scattered your favors to strangers
under every green tree
and have not obeyed My voice.

This is the Lord's declaration.
14"Return, you faithless children"-this is the Lord's declaration-"for I am your master, and I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15I will give you shepherds who are loyal to Me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. 16When you multiply and increase in the land, in those days"-the Lord's declaration-"no one will say any longer, 'The ark of the Lord's covenant.' It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. It will never again be made. 17At that time Jerusalem will be called, Yahweh's Throne, and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the name of Yahweh in Jerusalem. They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. 18In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land I have given your ancestors to inherit."
19I thought: How I long to make you My sons
and give you a desirable land,
the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations.
I thought: You will call Me, my Father,
and never turn away from Me.
20However, as a woman may betray her lover,
so you have betrayed Me, house of Israel.

This is the Lord's declaration.
21A sound is heard on the barren heights,
the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy,
for they have perverted their way;
they have forgotten the Lord their God.
22Return, you faithless children.
I will heal your unfaithfulness.
"Here we are, coming to You,
for You are the Lord our God.
23Surely, falsehood comes from the hills,
commotion from the mountains,
but the salvation of Israel
is only in the Lord our God.
24From the time of our youth
the shameful one has consumed
what our fathers have worked for-
their flocks and their herds,
their sons and their daughters.
25Let us lie down in our shame;
let our disgrace cover us.
We have sinned against the Lord our God,
both we and our fathers,
from the time of our youth even to this day.
We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God."

Acts 2

Chapter 2

2:1When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.
5There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7And they were astounded and amazed, saying, "Look, aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? 8How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs-we hear them speaking the magnificent acts of God in our own languages." 12They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, "What could this be?" 13But some sneered and said, "They're full of new wine!"
14But Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: "Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you and pay attention to my words. 15For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it's only nine in the morning. 16On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18I will even pour out My Spirit
on My male and female slaves in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord comes.
21Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.
22"Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know. 23Though He was delivered up according to God's determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him. 24God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. 25For David says of Him:
I saw the Lord ever before me;
because He is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26Therefore my heart was glad,
and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27because You will not leave me in Hades
or allow Your Holy One to see decay.
28You have revealed the paths of life to me;
You will fill me with gladness
in Your presence.
29"Brothers, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing this in advance, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah:
He was not left in Hades,
and His flesh did not experience decay.
32"God has resurrected this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this. 33Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has poured out what you both see and hear. 34For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
'Sit at My right hand
35until I make Your enemies Your footstool.'
36"Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!"
37When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: "Brothers, what must we do?"
38"Repent," Peter said to them, "and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." 40And with many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, "Be saved from this corrupt generation!"
41So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.
43Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. 46Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.

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