9. And so I, the Lord God, say that no godless foreigner who disobeys me will be allowed in my temple. This includes any foreigner living in Israel.
10. Some of the Levites turned their backs on me and joined the other people of Israel in worshipping idols. So these Levites must be punished!
11. They will still be allowed to serve me as temple workers by guarding the gates and by killing the animals to be sacrificed and by helping the worshippers.
12. But because these Levites served the people of Israel when they worshipped idols, I, the Lord God, promise that the Levites will be punished. They did not stop the Israelites from sinning,
13. and now I will no longer let the Levites serve as my priests or come near anything sacred to me. They must suffer shame and disgrace for their disgusting sins.
14. They will be responsible for all the hard work that must be done in the temple.
15. The priests of the Levi tribe who are descendants of Zadok the priest were faithful to me, even when the rest of the Israelites turned away. And so, these priests will continue to serve as my priests and to offer the fat and the blood of sacrifices.
16. They will come into my temple, where they will offer sacrifices at my altar and lead others in worship.