Esias 1:17-30

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.

²⁷For her captives shall be saved with judgement, and with mercy.

²⁸And the transgressors and the sinners shall be crushed together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be utterly consumed.

²⁹For they shall be ashamed of their idols, which they delighted in, and they are made ashamed of the gardens which they coveted.

³⁰For they shall be as a turpentine tree that has cast its leaves, and as a garden that has no water.