Esias 1:12-26

¹²neither shall you° come with these to appear before me; for who has required these things at your hands? You° shall no more tread my court.

¹³Though you° bring fine flour, it is vain; incense is an abomination to me; I can’t bear your new moons, and your sabbaths, and the great day;

¹⁴your fasting, and rest from work, your new moons also, and your feasts my soul hates: you° have become loathsome to me; I will no more pardon your sins.

¹⁵When you° stretch forth your hands, I will turn away my eyes from you: and though you° make many supplications, I will not listen to you; for your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶Wash you, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before my eyes; cease from your iniquities;

¹⁷learn to do well; diligently seek judgement, deliver him that is suffering wrong, plead for the orphan, and obtain justice for the widow.

¹⁸And come, let us reason together, says the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool.

¹⁹And if you° be willing, and listen to me, you° shall eat the good of the land:

²⁰but if you° be not willing, nor listen to me, a sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken this.

²¹How has the faithful city Sion, once full of judgement, become a harlot! wherein righteousness lodged, but now murderers.

²²Your silver is worthless, your wine merchants mix the wine with water.

²³Your princes are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving bribes, seeking after rewards; not pleading for orphans, and not heeding the cause of widows.

²⁴Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty men of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against my adversaries, and I will execute judgement on my enemies.

²⁵And I will bring my hand upon you, and purge you completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from you all transgressors.

²⁶And I will establish your judges as before, and your counsellors as at the beginning: and afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful mother-city of Sion.