16. Come to me and listen to this.From the beginning I have spoken openly.From the time it began, I was there.”Now, the Lord Godhas sent me with his Spirit.
17. The Lord is your close relative who saves you, the Holy One of Israel.The Lord says,“I am the Lord your God.I teach you to do what is good.I lead you in the way you should go.
18. If you had obeyed me,you would have had peace like a full-flowing river.Good things would have flowed to you like the waves of the sea.
19. You would have had many children.They would have been as many as the grains of sand.They would never have died out.They would not have been destroyed.”
20. My people, leave Babylon!Run from the Babylonians!Tell this news with shouts of joy to the people.Spread it everywhere on earth.Say, “The Lord has savedhis servants, the people of Jacob.”
21. They did not become thirsty when he led them through the deserts.He made water flow from a rock for them.He split the rock,and water flowed out.
22. “There is no peace for evil people,” says the Lord.