2Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth; for the LORD says: “I have brought up and nourished children, and they have rebelled against Me. 3Even the ox knows its owner, and the donkey his master's crib; but Israel does not know; My people do not consider”.

4Ah, what a sinful nation they are, a people loaded with a burden of guilt, a brood of evildoers, given to corruption! They have rejected the LORD, they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and have turned their backs on Him. 5Why do you continue to invite punishment, persisting in more and more rebellion? Your head is injured, and your heart is not right. 6From the sole of the foot to the top of your head there is no soundness – just wounds, bruises, and infected sores that have not been closed, bandaged, nor soothed with ointment. 7Your country is desolate, your cities burned; foreigners strip your land right before your eyes, leaving it a wasteland. 8Beautiful Jerusalem is left like a lean-to in a vineyard, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, like a besieged city. 9Unless the LORD Almighty had left us a small surviving remnant, we would have been like Sodom, and like Gomorrah.

10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11“What need have I of your many sacrifices unto Me?” says the LORD; “I have more than enough of burnt offerings of rams, and fattened animals; nor do I delight in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. 12When you come before Me, who has required this from you, to parade through My courts? 13Bring no more meaningless offerings; your incense is an abomination to Me; I cannot bear your new moons and sabbath celebrations, your assembly rituals; spare Me your pious meetings. 14My soul hates your new moons and appointed feasts; they are an offense to Me; I am weary of them. 15And when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even when you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of innocent blood. 16Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; take your evil doings out of My sight; stop doing wrong; 17Learn to do well; seek justice. Defend the oppressed, protect and provide for the fatherless, and for the widow.”

18“Come now, and let us reason together”, says the LORD: “though your sins are as scarlet, I shall make them as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be white as wool. 19If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. 20But if you refuse and rebel, you shall fall victim of the sword”; for I, the LORD, have spoken.”

21“Look how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness lived within her, but now murderers! 22Your silver has become worthless slag, your wine diluted with water: 23Your rulers are rebels, and partners of thieves; they all love bribes, and seek after rewards; they ignore the cause of the fatherless, and of the widow. 24Therefore”, says the LORD, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, “Ah, I will vent My wrath on My adversaries, and avenge Me of My enemies: 25And I will turn My hand against you, and thoroughly purge your impurities, and take away all your sin. 26And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward, you shall be called, ‘The city of Righteousness, the Faithful City’. 27Zion shall be restored with justice, and her penitent people with righteousness. 28But rebels, transgressors and sinners who forsake the LORD will perish.

29For they shall be ashamed of their idol worship in groves of sacred oaks, and you shall be embarrassed for the gardens you have chosen to worship in. 30For you shall be like an oak with fading leaves, and like a garden without water. 31And the strongest among you shall be as tinder, and their deeds as a spark; both shall burn together, and with no one to quench the fire.”

Isaiah 2