16. Wash yourselves clean!I am disgustedwith your filthy deeds.Stop doing wrong
17. and learn to live right.See that justice is done.Defend widows and orphansand help those in need.”
18. I, the Lord, invite youto come and talk it over.Your sins are scarlet red,but they will be whiterthan snow or wool.
19. If you willingly obey me,the best crops in the landwill be yours.
20. But if you turn against me,your enemies will kill you.I, the Lord, have spoken.
21. Jerusalem, you are likean unfaithful wife.Once your judges were honestand your people lived right;now you are a cityfull of murderers.
22. Your silver is fake,and your wineis watered down.
23. Your leaders have rejected meto become friends of crooks;your rulers are lookingfor gifts and bribes.Widows and orphansnever get a fair trial.
24. I am the Lord All-Powerful,the mighty ruler of Israel,and I make you a promise:you are now my enemy,and I will show my angerby taking revenge on you.
25. I will punish you terriblyand burn away everythingthat makes you unfitto worship me.
26. Jerusalem, I will choosejudges and adviserslike those you had before.Your new name will be“Justice and Faithfulness”.
27. Jerusalem, you will be savedby showing justice;Zion's people who turn to mewill be savedby doing right.
28. But those rebellious sinnerswho turn against me, the Lord,will all disappear.
29. You will be made ashamedof those groves of treeswhere you worshipped idols.
30. You will be like a grove of treesdying in a drought.
31. Your strongest leaderswill be like dry woodset on fire by their idols.No one will be able to help,as they all go up in flames.