1. “Family of Jacob, listen to me! You people call yourself ‘Israel,’ but you are from Judah’s family. When you take an oath, I, the Lord, the God of Israel, am the one whose name you use, but you are not honest and sincere.
2. “Yes, you call yourselves citizens of the holy city, those who depend on the God of Israel. The Lord All-Powerful is his name.
3. “Long ago I told you what would happen. I told you about these things. And suddenly I made them happen.
4. I did that because I knew you were stubborn. You were like iron that will not bend, with heads as hard as bronze.
5. So long ago I told you what would happen. I told you about those things long before they happened. I did this so that you could not say, ‘The gods we made did this. Our idols, our statues, made this happen.’”
6. “You heard what I said would happen. And you can see it has all been done. Shouldn’t you tell this to others? Now I will tell you about new things, secrets you have not known before.
7. This is something that is happening now, not long ago. You have not heard about it before today. So you cannot say, ‘We already knew that.’
8. But even in the past you didn’t listen. You didn’t learn anything. You never listen to what I say. I have always known that you would turn against me. You have rebelled against me from the time you were born.
9. “But I will be patient. I will do this for myself. People will praise me for not becoming angry and destroying you. You will praise me for waiting.
10. “Look, I will make you pure, but not in the way you make silver pure. I will make you pure by giving you troubles.
11. I will do this for myself—for me! I will not let you treat me as if I am not important. I will not let some false god take my glory and praise.
12. “Jacob, listen to me! Israel, I called you to be my people. So listen to me! I am the Beginning, and I am the End.