11. The Lord says,“I do not want all these sacrifices you give me.I have had enough of your sacrificesof male sheep and fat from fine animals.I am not pleasedby the blood of bulls, sheep and goats.
12. You come to meet with me.But who asked you to doall this running in and out?
13. Don’t continue bringing me worthless sacrifices!I hate the incense you burn.I can’t stand your New Moons, Sabbaths and other feast days.I can’t stand the evil you do in holding your holy meetings.
14. I hate your New Moon feastsand your other yearly feasts.They have become like heavy weights on me.I am tired of carrying them.
15. You will raise your arms in prayer to me.But I will refuse to look at you.Even if you say many prayers,I will not listen to you.It’s because your hands are full of blood.
16. Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean.Stop doing the evil things I see you do.Stop doing wrong!
17. Learn to do good.Be fair to other people.Punish those who hurt others.Help the orphans.Stand up for the rights of widows.”
18. The Lord says,“Come, we will talk these things over.Your sins are red like deep red cloth.But they can be as white as snow.Your sins are bright red.But you can be white like wool.
19. If you will obey me,you will eat good crops from the land.
20. But if you refuse to obey and if you turn against me,you will be destroyed by your enemies’ swords.”The Lord himself said these things.
21. The city of Jerusalem once followed the Lord.But she is no longer loyal to the Lord.She used to be filled with fairness.People there lived the way God wanted.But now, murderers live there.
22. Jerusalem, you have become like the scum left when silver is purified.You are like wine mixed with water.
23. Your rulers are rebels.They are friends of thieves.They all accept money for doing wrong things.They are paid to cheat people.They don’t try to help the orphans.And they don’t listen to the widows’ needs.
24. The Master, the Lord of heaven’s armies,the Mighty One of Israel, says:“You, my enemies, will not cause me any more trouble.I will pay you back for what you did.
25. I will turn against you.I will clean away all your wrongs as if with soap.I will take all the worthless things out of you.
26. I will bring back judges as you had long ago.Your counselors will be like the ones you had in the beginning.Then you will be called the City That Is Right with God.You will be called the Loyal City.”