⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(A) Wash your hands,^(B) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(C) you double-minded.^{(D) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(E) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(F)

²² Repent^(A) of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.

⁴¹ But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor,^(A) and everything will be clean for you.^(B)

²⁷ But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.^{(A) 28} Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.^{(B) 29} Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

³⁰ “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!^(C) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.^{(D) 31} Rid^(E) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart^(F) and a new spirit. Why^(G) will you die, people of Israel?^{(H) 32} For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent^(I) and live!^(J)

²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^(A) doing something useful with their own hands,^(B) that they may have something to share with those in need.^(C)

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^(A) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a];^(B) rather, serve one another^(C) humbly in love.