14. Your New Moon festivals and your [hypocritical] appointed feasts My soul hates. They are an oppressive burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
15. And when you spread forth your hands [in prayer, imploring help], I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood!
16. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes! Cease to do evil,
17. Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18. Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.
19. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
20. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
21. How the faithful city has become an [idolatrous] harlot, she who was full of justice! Uprightness and right standing with God [once] lodged in her–but now murderers.
22. Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water.
23. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and runs after compensation and rewards. They judge not for the fatherless nor defend them, neither does the cause of the widow come to them [for they delay or turn a deaf ear].
24. Therefore says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will appease Myself on My adversaries and avenge Myself on My enemies.
25. And I will bring My hand again upon you and thoroughly purge away your dross [as with lye] and take away all your tin or alloy.
26. And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; afterward you shall be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.
27. Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her [returned] converts with righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).
28. But the crushing and destruction of rebels and sinners shall be together, and they who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.