No longer will one teach his neighbour or his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them’ #– #this is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.
‘Come, let’s settle this,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.
Indeed, it was for my own well-being that I had such intense bitterness; but your love has delivered me from the Pit of destruction, for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.
In those days and at that time – this is the Lord’s declaration – one will search for Israel’s iniquity, but there will be none, and for Judah’s sins, but they will not be found, for I will forgive those I leave as a remnant.
‘Therefore, say to the house of Israel, “This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you went.
But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations they were living among, in whose sight I had made myself known to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt.
It is not for your sake that I will act #– #this is the declaration of the Lord God #– #let this be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel!
But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I brought them out.
Hear the petitions of your servant and your people Israel, which they pray towards this place. May you hear in your dwelling place in heaven. May you hear and forgive.
Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will freely forgive.