Isaiah 1:21-26

New Century Version

²¹ The 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.
²² Jerusalem, you have become like the scum left when silver is purified;
    you are like wine mixed with water.
²³ Your 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.
²⁴ So 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.
²⁵ I will turn against you
    and clean away all your wrongs as if with soap;
    I will take all the worthless things out of you.
²⁶ I 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.”