The Sabbath Must Be Kept

¹⁹ This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the ^[a]public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem; ²⁰ and say to them, ‘^(A)Listen to the word of the Lord, you ^(B)kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates. ²¹ This is what the Lord says: “^(C)Take care for yourselves, and ^(D)do not carry any ^[b]load on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. ²² You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day ^(E)nor do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I ^(F)commanded your ^[c]forefathers. ²³ Yet they ^(G)did not listen or incline their ears, but ^(H)stiffened their necks so as not to listen or accept discipline.

²⁴ “But it will come about, if you ^(I)give your attention to Me,” declares the Lord, “to ^(J)bring no load in through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, ^(K)but to keep the Sabbath day holy by doing no work on it, ^25 (L)then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and officials ^(M)sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this ^(N)city will be inhabited forever. ²⁶ They will come in from the ^(O)cities of Judah and from the areas surrounding Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the ^(P)lowland, from the hill country, and from the ^(Q)Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the Lord. ²⁷ But ^(R)if you do not listen to Me, to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then ^(S)I will set fire to its gates, and it will ^(T)devour the palaces of Jerusalem and ^(U)not go out.”’”