Isaiah 1:21-26

New International Reader's Version

²¹ See how the faithful city of Jerusalem
    has become like a prostitute!
Once it was full of people who treated others fairly.
    Those who did what was right used to live in it.
    But now murderers live there!
²² Jerusalem, your silver isn’t pure anymore.
    Your best wine has been made weak with water.
²³ Your rulers refuse to obey the Lord.
    They join forces with robbers.
All of them love to accept money from those who want special favors.
    They are always looking for gifts from other people.
They don’t stand up in court for children whose fathers have died.
    They don’t do it for widows either.
²⁴ The Lord is the Mighty One of Israel.
    The Lord who rules over all announces,
“Israel, you have become my enemies.
    I will act against you in my anger.
    I will pay you back for what you have done.
²⁵ I will turn my power against you.
    I will make you completely ‘clean.’
    I will remove everything that is not pure.
²⁶ I will give you leaders like the ones you had long ago.
    I will give you rulers like those you had at the beginning.
Then you will be called
    the City That Does What Is Right.
    You will also be called the Faithful City.”