Isaiah 1:21–26

How the faithful city

has become a whore,

she who was full of justice!

Righteousness lodged in her,

but now murderers.

Your silver has become dross,

your best wine mixed with water.

Your princes are rebels

and companions of thieves.

Everyone loves a bribe

and runs after gifts.

They do not bring justice to the fatherless,

and the widow’s cause does not come to them.

Therefore the Lord declares,

the Lord of hosts,

the Mighty One of Israel:

“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies

and avenge myself on my foes.

I will turn my hand against you

and will smelt away your dross as with lye

and remove all your alloy.

And I will restore your judges as at the first,

and your counselors as at the beginning.

Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,

the faithful city.”

See how the faithful city

has become a prostitute!

She once was full of justice;

righteousness used to dwell in her—

but now murderers!

Your silver has become dross,

your choice wine is diluted with water.

Your rulers are rebels,

partners with thieves;

they all love bribes

and chase after gifts.

They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;

the widow’s case does not come before them.

Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty,

the Mighty One of Israel, declares:

“Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes

and avenge myself on my enemies.

I will turn my hand against you;

I will thoroughly purge away your dross

and remove all your impurities.

I will restore your leaders as in days of old,

your rulers as at the beginning.

Afterward you will be called

the City of Righteousness,

the Faithful City.”

See how Jerusalem, once so faithful,

has become a prostitute.

Once the home of justice and righteousness,

she is now filled with murderers.

Once like pure silver,

you have become like worthless slag.

Once so pure,

you are now like watered-down wine.

Your leaders are rebels,

the companions of thieves.

All of them love bribes

and demand payoffs,

but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans

or fight for the rights of widows.

Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,

the Mighty One of Israel, says,

“I will take revenge on my enemies

and pay back my foes!

I will raise my fist against you.

I will melt you down and skim off your slag.

I will remove all your impurities.

Then I will give you good judges again

and wise counselors like you used to have.

Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justice

and the Faithful City.”

How has a faithful city become like a whore?

Full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.

Your silver has become as dross;

Your wine is diluted with waters.

Your princes are rebels

and companions of thieves.

Every one loves a bribe

and runs after gifts.

They do not defend the orphan

and the legal dispute of the widow does not come before them.

Therefore, the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:

“Ah, I will be relieved of my enemies,

and I will avenge myself on my foes.

And I will turn my hand against you;

I will purify your dross like lye,

and I will remove all of your tin.

And I will restore your judges, as at the first,

and your counselors, as at the beginning.

After this you will be called the city of righteousness,

faithful city.

How is the faithful city become an harlot!

It was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it;

But now murderers.

Thy silver is become dross,

Thy wine mixed with water:

Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves:

Every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards:

They judge not the fatherless,

Neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel,

Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries,

And avenge me of mine enemies:

And I will turn my hand upon thee,

And purely purge away thy dross,

And take away all thy tin:

And I will restore thy judges as at the first,

And thy counsellers as at the beginning:

Afterward thou shalt be called,

The city of righteousness, the faithful city.