Isaiah 1:16-27

New American Standard Bible

¹⁶“^(A)Wash yourselves, ^(B)make yourselves clean;
^(C)Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
^(D)Stop doing evil,
¹⁷Learn to do good;
^(E)Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor,
^(F)Obtain justice for the orphan,
Plead for the widow’s case.

Invitation to Debate

¹⁸“Come now, and ^(G)let us ^[a]debate your case,”
Says the Lord,
“^(H)Though your sins are as scarlet,
They shall become as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be like wool.
¹⁹^(I)If you are willing and obedient,
You will ^(J)eat the best of the land;
²⁰But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be ^(K)devoured by the sword.”
For ^(L)the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Zion Corrupted; Will Be Redeemed

²¹How the faithful city has become a ^(M)prostitute,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once dwelt in her,
But now murderers.
²²Your silver has become ^[b]waste matter,
Your drink diluted with water.
²³Your ^(N)rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone ^(O)loves a bribe
And chases after gifts.
They ^(P)do not obtain justice for the ^[c]orphan,
Nor does the widow’s case come before them.

²⁴Therefore the Lord ^[d]God of armies,
The ^(Q)Mighty One of Israel, declares,
“Ah, I will have satisfaction against My adversaries,
And ^(R)avenge Myself on My enemies.
²⁵I will also turn My hand against you,
And ^(S)smelt away your impurities as with lye;
And I will remove all your slag.
²⁶Then I will restore your ^(T)judges as at first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the ^(U)city of righteousness,
A faithful city.”