Judgment on Jerusalem 1 UDB Terrible things will happen to Jerusalem, the city whose people have rebelled against Yahweh and who have become unacceptable to him because of the sins that they have committed. They act violently toward others and they oppress other people. BSB BSB: Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!
2 UDB The people there pay no attention to the prophets whom Yahweh has sent to tell them the wrong things that they are doing and try to correct them. The people in Jerusalem do not trust in their God or worship him. BSB BSB: She heeded no voice; she accepted no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God.
3 UDB Their leaders are like roaring lions; they are like wolves that attack during the evening, and eat everything that they kill, with the result that the next morning there is nothing left of those animals to eat. BSB BSB: Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.
4 UDB The prophets in Jerusalem are proud, and the priests give messages that no one should trust. They make the temple unholy by doing things that are against the law of Moses. BSB BSB: Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
5 UDB But Yahweh is also in the city, and he never does what is wrong. He treats people justly, day after day; but wicked people are never ashamed about their wrongdoing. BSB BSB: The LORD within her is righteous; He does no wrong. He applies His justice morning by morning; He does not fail at dawn, yet the unjust know no shame.
Purification of the Nations 6 UDB Yahweh says this: "I have destroyed many nations; I have destroyed their strong city walls and towers. Now I have caused the streets in those cities to be completely deserted. Those cities are ruined and there is no one still alive there. They are all dead. BSB BSB: “I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant.
7 UDB So I said to myself, 'Because of what I have done to those other nations, surely the people of Jerusalem will honor me now and allow me to correct them. If they do that, I will not destroy them; I will not punish them like I said that I would do.' But in spite of knowing how I punished those other nations, they were still eager to get up early each morning and continue to perform evil deeds." BSB BSB: I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me and accept correction.’ Then her dwelling place would not be cut off despite all for which I punished her. But they rose early to corrupt all their deeds.
8 UDB This is what Yahweh declares: "Wait for the day when I will take action to plunder you! I have decided to gather the people of the kingdoms of the earth and cause them to know that I am very angry with them. All over the earth I will punish and destroy people; I will burn them up with my anger as if it were fire! BSB BSB: Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation—all My burning anger. For all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy.
A Faithful Remnant 9 UDB When that happens, I will cause all people to be changed and enable them to speak only what is pure, in order that everyone can worship me as one people. BSB BSB: For then I will restore pure lips to the peoples, that all may call upon the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
10 UDB Then my people who were forced to go to other countries, those who live along the upper part of the Nile River in Ethiopia, will come to me and bring offerings to me. BSB BSB: From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshipers, My scattered people, will bring Me an offering.
11 UDB At that time, you people in Jerusalem will no longer be ashamed about what has happened to you, because you no longer will be rebelling against me. I will get rid of all the people among you who are very proud. No one on Zion, my holy hill, will strut around proudly anymore. BSB BSB: On that day you will not be put to shame for any of the deeds by which you have transgressed against Me. For then I will remove from among you those who rejoice in their pride, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain.
12 UDB Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will trust in me. BSB BSB: But I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD.
13 UDB Those people who are still alive in Israel will not do anything wrong; they will tell no lies or deceive anyone. They will eat and sleep safely, because no one will cause them to be afraid." BSB BSB: The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or speak lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. But they will feed and lie down, with no one to make them tremble.”
Israel’s Restoration 14 UDB You people who live in Jerusalem and other places in Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice with all your inner being, BSB BSB: Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
15 UDB because Yahweh will take away the charges against you, and he will make your enemies go enemies far away from you! Yahweh himself, the king of the Israelites, will live among you, and you will never again be afraid that others will harm you. BSB BSB: The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm.
16 UDB At that time, other people will say to us people of Jerusalem, "You people of Jerusalem, do not be afraid; do not become weak or discouraged." BSB BSB: On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.
17 UDB Yahweh your God will live among you. He is mighty, and he will rescue you. He will be very happy about you; because he loves you, he will cause you to rest without being anxious. He will sing loudly to rejoice about you, BSB BSB: The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 UDB like people who are happy at a festival. Yahweh says, "I will no longer allow any enemies to destroy you. You will no longer be defeated or ashamed. BSB BSB: “I will gather those among you who grieve over the appointed feasts, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
19 UDB Truly, I will severely punish all those who oppressed you. I will rescue those who are helpless and those who were forced to go to other countries, just as a shepherd would rescue his lost sheep. I will give them praise and honor in every country where they were exiled, places where they had been disgraced. BSB BSB: Behold, at that time, I will deal with all who afflict you. I will save the lame and gather the scattered; and I will appoint praise and fame for the disgraced throughout the earth.
20 UDB At that time, I will gather you together and bring you back home to Israel. I will cause you to greatly praised and honored among all the nations of the earth. You will see when I bring your people home again." This is what Yahweh, has declared! BSB BSB: At that time I will bring you in; yes, at that time I will gather you. For I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your captives before your very eyes,” says the LORD.