Isaiah 1:21–31
has become a prostitute!c
She once was full of justice;
righteousnessd used to dwell in her—
but now murderers!e
22 Your silver has become dross,f
your choice wine is diluted with water.
23 Your rulers are rebels,g
partners with thieves;h
they all love bribesi
and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;
the widow’s case does not come before them.j
24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
the Mighty Onek of Israel, declares:
“Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes
and avengel myself on my enemies.m
25 I will turn my hand against you;b n
I will thoroughly purgeo away your drossp
and remove all your impurities.q
26 I will restore your leaders as in days of old,r
your rulers as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be calleds
the City of Righteousness,t
the Faithful City.u”
27 Zion will be delivered with justice,
her penitentv ones with righteousness.w
28 But rebels and sinnersx will both be broken,
and those who forsakey the Lord will perish.z
29 “You will be ashameda because of the sacred oaksb
in which you have delighted;
you will be disgraced because of the gardensc
that you have chosen.
30 You will be like an oak with fading leaves,d
like a garden without water.
31 The mighty man will become tinder
and his work a spark;
both will burn together,
with no one to quench the fire.e”