^6 (A)Seek the Lord while He may be ^(B)found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
^7 (C)Let the ^[a]wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man ^(D)his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
^(E)And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

¹⁷ Thus says ^(A)the Lord, your Redeemer,
The Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
Who teaches you to profit,
^(B)Who leads you by the way you should go.

¹⁶ “Wash^(A) yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
^(B)Cease to do evil,
¹⁷ Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke ^[a]the oppressor;
^[b]Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.

¹⁸ “Come now, and let us ^(C)reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
^(D)They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
^(E)For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

¹⁹ “Man is also chastened with pain on his ^(B)bed,
And with strong pain in many of his bones,
^20 (C)So that his life abhors ^(D)bread,
And his soul ^[b]succulent food.
²¹ His flesh wastes away from sight,
And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
²² Yes, his soul draws near the Pit,
And his life to the executioners.

²³ “If there is a messenger for him,
A mediator, one among a thousand,
To show man His uprightness,