Isaiah 1:21–27

Jerusalem Is Not Loyal to God

²¹The city of Jerusalem once followed the Lord,

but she is no longer loyal to him.

She used to be filled with fairness;

people there lived the way God wanted.

But now, murderers live there.

²²Jerusalem, you have become like the scum left when silver is purified;

you are like wine mixed with water.

²³Your rulers are rebels

and friends of thieves.

They all accept money for doing wrong,

and they are paid to cheat people.

They don’t seek justice for the orphans

or listen to the widows’ needs.

²⁴So the Lord God All-Powerful,

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.

²⁵I will turn against you

and clean away all your wrongs as if with soap;

I will take all the worthless things out of you.

²⁶I will bring back judges as you had long ago;

your counselors will be like those you had in the beginning.

Then you will be called the City That Is Right with God,

the Loyal City.”

²⁷By doing what is fair,

Jerusalem will be free again.

By doing what is right,

her people who come back to the Lord will have freedom.