The sins of the people of Jerusalem

22 Yahweh gave me another message. He said, 2 “You human, are you ready to condemn the people of Jerusalem? It is [RHQ] a city full of murderers [MTY]. Remind them of all the detestable things that they have done. 3 Then say, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: By your murdering people and by ◄defiling yourselves/making yourselves unacceptable to God► by making idols, you people of this city [APO] have brought to yourselves the time when you will be destroyed. 4 You have become guilty by doing both of those things [DOU]. You have brought to an end your time to remain alive [DOU]. Therefore I will cause you to become a group whom the people of other nations will scorn; they will all laugh at you [DOU]. 5 People in countries that are near you and people who live far from you will make fun of you, because your city is full of lawless people and full of confusion.

6 Think about how each of your Israeli kings have used their power to cause people to be murdered [MTY]. 7 Your people do not respect/honor their parents; they have oppressed foreigners; they mistreat orphans and widows. 8 You despise my sacred places and ◄dishonor/do not respect► the Sabbath days. 9 Among you are men who tell lies in order to cause others to be executed [MTY]. There are those who eatfood offered to idols at the hilltop shrines, and they perform disgusting sexual acts. 10 There are men who have sex with their father’s wives [EUP], and men who have sex with women during their monthly menstrual periods. 11 There are men who have sex with someone else’s wife. Some men have sex with their daughters-in-law or with their sisters or half-sisters. 12 There are among you men who accept bribes in order to cause someone to be executed [MTY]. You charge high interest when you lend people money. You become rich by forcing people to give you money. Andthe worst thing is that you have forgotten me, Yahweh the Lord.

13 So I will shake my fists at you to show that I am angry with you because of your stealing money from people and murdering [MTY] people who live among you. 14 When I finishpunishing you, you will no longer [RHQ] be courageous/brave [DOU]. I, Yahweh, have said what I will do to you, and I will do it. 15 I will cause you to be scattered among many nations [DOU], and I will cause you to stop your sinful behavior. 16 When the people of other nations see that you have been humiliated, you will know that I, Yahweh, have the power to do what I say that I will do.’ ”