The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Sunday October 2, 2022 (NIV)

“Heaven is my throne,^(A)
and the earth is my footstool.^(B)
Where is the house^(C) you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
² Has not my hand made all these things,^(D)
and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,^(E)
and who tremble at my word.^(F)
3 But whoever sacrifices a bull^(G)
is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig’s^(H) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense^(I)
is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,^(J)
and they delight in their abominations;^(K)
4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring on them what they dread.^(L)
For when I called, no one answered,^(M)
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil^(N) in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”^(O)

⁵ Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:^(P)
“Your own people who hate^(Q) you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy!’
Yet they will be put to shame.^(R)
6 Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound^(S) of the Lord
repaying^(T) his enemies all they deserve.

⁷ “Before she goes into labor,^(U)
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.^(V)
8 Who has ever heard of such things?
Who has ever seen^(W) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day^(X)
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.^(Y)
9 Do I bring to the moment of birth^(Z)
and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
¹⁰ “Rejoice^(AA) with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love^(AB) her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn^(AC) over her.
¹¹ For you will nurse^(AD) and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;^(AE)
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance.”^(AF)

“I will extend peace^(AG) to her like a river,^(AH)
and the wealth^(AI) of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried^(AJ) on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
¹³ As a mother comforts her child,^(AK)
so will I comfort^(AL) you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

¹⁴ When you see this, your heart will rejoice^(AM)
and you will flourish^(AN) like grass;
the hand^(AO) of the Lord will be made known to his servants,^(AP)
but his fury^(AQ) will be shown to his foes.
¹⁵ See, the Lord is coming with fire,^(AR)
and his chariots^(AS) are like a whirlwind;^(AT)
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke^(AU) with flames of fire.
¹⁶ For with fire^(AV) and with his sword^(AW)
the Lord will execute judgment^(AX) on all people,
and many will be those slain^(AY) by the Lord.

⁴ Your foes roared^(K) in the place where you met with us;
they set up their standards^(L) as signs.
⁵ They behaved like men wielding axes
to cut through a thicket of trees.^(M)
6 They smashed all the carved^(N) paneling
with their axes and hatchets.
⁷ They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
they defiled^(O) the dwelling place^(P) of your Name.^(Q)
8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush^(R) them completely!”
They burned^(S) every place where God was worshiped in the land.

⁹ We are given no signs from God;^(T)
no prophets^(U) are left,
and none of us knows how long this will be.
¹⁰ How long^(V) will the enemy mock^(W) you, God?
Will the foe revile^(X) your name forever?
¹¹ Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?^(Y)
Take it from the folds of your garment^(Z) and destroy them!

¹² But God is my King^(AA) from long ago;
he brings salvation^(AB) on the earth.

¹³ It was you who split open the sea^(AC) by your power;
you broke the heads of the monster^(AD) in the waters.
¹⁴ It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan^(AE)
and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.^(AF)
15 It was you who opened up springs^(AG) and streams;
you dried up^(AH) the ever-flowing rivers.
¹⁶ The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.^(AI)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries^(AJ) of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.^(AK)

¹⁸ Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
how foolish people^(AL) have reviled your name.
¹⁹ Do not hand over the life of your dove^(AM) to wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted^(AN) people forever.
²⁰ Have regard for your covenant,^(AO)
because haunts of violence fill the dark places^(AP) of the land.
²¹ Do not let the oppressed^(AQ) retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy^(AR) praise your name.
²² Rise up,^(AS) O God, and defend your cause;
remember how fools^(AT) mock you all day long.
²³ Do not ignore the clamor^(AU) of your adversaries,^(AV)
the uproar^(AW) of your enemies,^(AX) which rises continually.