Yahweh condemned Jerusalem

21 “You people of Jerusalem previously faithfully worshiped only me,

but now you have become like [MET] prostitutes who are not faithful to any husband.

Previously, people there always acted justly/fairly and righteously,

but now your city is full of murderers.

22 Previously, you were like [MET] pure silver,

but now you have become like [MET] the scum that is left when silver is purified.

Previously you were like pure wine,

but you have become like [MET] wine that has a lot of water mixed with it.

23 Your leaders are rebels;

they spend time with thieves.

They all want to get bribes

and force others to give them gifts in order that they do good things for them.

They do not defend orphans in court,

and they do not do all they can to enable widows to get what they should receive.

24 Therefore I, the Commander of the armies of angels, the mighty God of Israel, say to my enemies,

‘ will get revenge on you;

you will not cause me any more trouble.

And I will pay you back for the evil things that you did.

25 I will raise my fist to strike you.

I will punish you severely [MET],

as though [MET] you were silver and I needed to heat you very greatly to melt you and get rid of the impurities.

26 After that happens, I will give you good judges like you had previously;

you will have wise counselors like you had long ago.

Then people will call your city “a city where people act righteously,

a city where people are loyal to me.”'”

27 Because the people of Jerusalem will do what is fair/just,

their city will be restored;

those who repent will be saved

because of their acting righteously.

28 But rebels and sinners will be crushed by Yahweh,

and those who forsake him will disappear.

29 You will be ashamed because you worshiped idols under the oak trees that you considered to be sacred;

you will be disgraced because you worshiped idols in the gardens where you chose to worship them.

30 You will be like [SIM] a very large tree which has withered leaves,

like [SIM] a garden that is dried up because it has no water.

31 Those among you who are very strong will become like [MET] dry wood,

and the work they do will be like [MET] a spark;

both they and the evil things that they do will burn up completely,

and no one will be able to put out the fire.