71 Days of Isaiah Plan

²¹The faithful town — what an adulteress she has become! She was once full of justice. Righteousness once dwelt in her, but now, murderers!

²²Your silver has become dross to be discarded, your beer is diluted with water.

²³Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love graft and chase after bribes. They do not defend the rights of the fatherless, and the widow’s case never comes before them.

²⁴Therefore the Lord GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will get even with my foes; I will take revenge against my enemies.

²⁵I will turn my hand against you and will burn away your dross completely; I will remove all your impurities.

²⁶I will restore your judges to what they were at first, and your advisers to what they were at the start. Afterward you will be called the Righteous City, a Faithful Town.”

²⁷Zion will be redeemed by justice, those who repent, by righteousness.

²⁸At the same time both rebels and sinners will be broken, and those who abandon the LORD will perish.

²⁹Indeed, they will be ashamed of the sacred trees you desired, and you will be embarrassed because of the garden shrines you have chosen.

³⁰For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, and like a garden without water.

³¹The strong one will become tinder, and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to extinguish the flames.