Therefore, returnto your God,Observekindnessand justice,And waitfor your Godcontinually.
"For Your salvationI wait,O LORD.
Behold,as the eyesof servants[look] to the handof their master,As the eyesof a maidto the handof her mistress,Soour eyes[look] to the LORDour God,UntilHe is graciousto us.
Waitfor the LORD;Be strongand let your hearttakecourage;Yes, waitfor the LORD.
Restin the LORDand waitpatientlyfor Him; Do not fretbecause of him who prospersin his way,Because of the manwho carriesout wickedschemes.
God,furthermore,saidto Moses,"Thusyou shall sayto the sonsof Israel,The LORD,the Godof your fathers,the Godof Abraham,the Godof Isaac,and the Godof Jacob,has sentme to you.' Thisis My nameforever,and thisis My memorial-nameto allgenerations.
"Turnto my reproof,Behold,I will pourout my spiriton you; I will makemy wordsknownto you.
To dorighteousnessand justiceIs desiredby the LORDmorethansacrifice.
"Washyourselves, makeyourselves clean;Removethe evilof your deedsfrom My sight.Ceaseto do evil,
Thereforethe LORDlongsto be graciousto you, And thereforeHe waits on highto havecompassionon you. For the LORDis a Godof justice;How blessedare allthose who longfor Him.
Returnto Him from whomyou have deeplydefected,O sonsof Israel.
Yet those who waitfor the LORDWill gainnewstrength;They will mountup [with] wingslike eagles,They will runand not gettired,They will walkand not becomeweary.
"Is thisnot the fastwhich I choose,To loosenthe bondsof wickedness,To undothe bandsof the yoke,And to letthe oppressedgofreeAnd breakeveryyoke?
And I will waitfor the LORDwho is hidingHis facefrom the houseof Jacob;I will even lookeagerlyfor Him.
"Do you becomea kingbecauseyou are competingin cedar?Did not your fathereatand drinkAnd dojusticeand righteousness?Thenit was wellwith him.
"ThereforeI will judgeyou, O houseof Israel,eachaccording to his conduct,"declaresthe LordGOD."Repentand turnawayfrom allyour transgressions,so that iniquitymay not becomea stumblingblockto you.
Sowwith a view to righteousness,Reapin accordancewith kindness;Breakup your fallowground,For it is timeto seekthe LORDUntilHe comesto rainrighteousnesson you.
Return,O Israel,to the LORDyour God,For you have stumbledbecause of your iniquity.
Listento the wordof the LORD,O sonsof Israel,For the LORDhas a caseagainstthe inhabitantsof the land,Becausethereis nofaithfulnessor kindnessOr knowledgeof Godin the land.
"Yet evennow,"declaresthe LORD,"Returnto Me with allyour heart,And with fasting,weepingand mourning;
And rendyour heartand not your garments."Now returnto the LORDyour God,For He is graciousand compassionate,Slowto anger,aboundingin lovingkindnessAnd relentingof evil.
For behold,He who formsmountainsand createsthe windAnd declaresto manwhatare His thoughts,He who makesdawninto darknessAnd treadson the highplacesof the earth,The LORDGodof hostsis His name.
"But let justicerolldownlike watersAnd righteousnesslike an ever-flowingstream.
He has toldyou, O man,whatis good;And whatdoes the LORDrequireof you But to dojustice,to lovekindness,And to walkhumblywith your God?
But as for me, I will watchexpectantlyfor the LORD;I will waitfor the Godof my salvation.My Godwill hearme.
"For the visionis yetfor the appointedtime;It hastenstoward the goaland it will not fail.Thoughit tarries,waitfor it; For it will certainlycome,it will not delay.
"Thereforewaitfor Me," declaresthe LORD,"For the daywhen I riseup as a witness.Indeed,My decisionis to gathernations,To assemblekingdoms,To pourout on them My indignation,AllMy burninganger;For allthe earthwill be devouredBy the fireof My zeal.
"Therefore sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Returnto Me," declaresthe LORDof hosts,"that I may returnto you," saysthe LORDof hosts.
"Thushas the LORDof hostssaid,Dispensetrue~justiceand practicekindnessand compassioneachto his brother;
Theseare the thingswhichyou should do:speakthe truthto oneanother;judgewith truthand judgmentfor peacein your gates.
Peter[said] to them, "Repent,and eachof you be baptizedin the nameof JesusChristfor the forgivenessof your sins;and you will receivethe giftof the HolySpirit.
but [kept] declaringbothto thoseof Damascusfirst,and [also] at Jerusalemand [then] throughout allthe regionof Judea,and [even] to the Gentiles,that they should repentand turnto God,performingdeedsappropriateto repentance.
Pureand undefiledreligionin the sightof [our] Godand Fatheris this:to visitorphansand widowsin their distress,[and] to keeponeselfunstainedby the world.
For judgment[will be] mercilessto one who has shownnomercy;mercytriumphs overjudgment.
