Drawnearto Godand He will draw nearto you. Cleanseyour hands,you sinners;and purifyyour hearts,you double-minded.
Abrahamcamenearand said,"Will You indeedsweepawaythe righteouswith the wicked?
"As for you, my sonSolomon,knowthe Godof your father,and serveHim with a wholeheartand a willingmind;for the LORDsearchesallhearts,and understandseveryintentof the thoughts.Ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will rejectyou forever.
and he wentout to meetAsaand saidto him, "Listento me, Asa,and allJudahand Benjamin:the LORDis with you when you are with Him. And ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will forsakeyou.
Althoughthere is noviolencein my hands,And my prayeris pure.
"Nevertheless the righteouswill holdto his way,And he who has cleanhandswill growstrongerand stronger.
"IfI should washmyself with snowAnd cleansemy handswith lye,
I hatethose whoare double-minded,But I loveYour law.
The LORDis nearto allwho callupon Him, To allwhocallupon Him in truth.
The LORDhas rewardedme according to my righteousness;According to the cleannessof my handsHe has recompensedme.
He who has cleanhandsand a pureheart,Whohas not liftedup his soulto falsehoodAnd has not sworndeceitfully.
I shall washmy handsin innocence,And I will goaboutYour altar,O LORD,
Createin me a cleanheart,O God,And renewa steadfastspiritwithinme.
Surelyin vainI have keptmy heartpureAnd washedmy handsin innocence;
But as for me, the nearnessof Godis my good;I have madethe LordGODmy refuge,That I may tellof allYour works.
Anyonewho is foundwill be thrustthrough,And anyonewho is capturedwill fallby the sword.
Then the Lordsaid,"Becausethispeopledrawnearwith their wordsAnd honorMe with their lipservice,But they removetheir heartsfarfrom Me, And their reverencefor Me consistsof traditionlearned[by rote],
"Yet they seekMe dayby dayand delightto knowMy ways,As a nationthat has donerighteousnessAnd has not forsakenthe ordinanceof their God.They askMe [for] justdecisions,They delightin the nearnessof God.
In that timeit will be saidto thispeopleand to Jerusalem,"A scorchingwindfrom the bareheightsin the wildernessin the directionof the daughterof My people--not to winnowand not to cleanse,
Washyour heartfrom evil,O Jerusalem,That you may be saved.Howlongwill your wickedthoughtsLodgewithinyou?
You drewnearwhenI calledon You; You said,"Do not fear!"
"Castawayfrom you allyour transgressionswhichyou have committedand makeyourselves a newheartand a newspirit!For whywill you die,O houseof Israel?
"Therefore sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Returnto Me," declaresthe LORDof hosts,"that I may returnto you," saysthe LORDof hosts.
"From the daysof your fathersyou have turnedasidefrom My statutesand have not kept[them]. Returnto Me, and I will returnto you," saysthe LORDof hosts."But you say,'Howshall we return?'
"Eithermakethe treegoodand its fruitgood,ormakethe treebadand its fruitbad;for the treeis knownby its fruit.
"Whydo Your disciplesbreak the traditionof the elders?For they do not washtheir handswhenthey eatbread."
When Pilatesawthat he was accomplishingnothing,but ratherthat a riotwas starting,he tookwaterand washedhis handsin frontof the crowd,saying,"I aminnocentof this Man'sblood;see[to that] yourselves."
and He madenodistinctionbetweenus and them, cleansingtheir heartsby faith.
Therefore,havingthesepromises,beloved,let us cleanseourselvesfrom alldefilementof fleshand spirit,perfectingholinessin the fearof God.
ThereforeI wantthe menin everyplaceto pray,liftingup holyhands,withoutwrathand dissension.
let us draw nearwith a sincereheartin full assuranceof faith,having our heartssprinkled[clean] from an evilconscienceand our bodieswashedwith purewater.
(for the Lawmadenothingperfect),and on the other handthere is a bringingin of a betterhope,throughwhichwe draw nearto God.
[being] a double-mindedman,unstablein allhis ways.
But the wisdomfrom aboveis firstpure,thenpeaceable,gentle,reasonable,fullof mercyand goodfruits,unwavering,without hypocrisy.
Since you have in obedienceto the truthpurifiedyour soulsfor a sincerelove of the brethren,ferventlyloveone anotherfrom the heart,
Correspondingto that, baptismnowsavesyou-- not the removalof dirtfrom the flesh,but an appealto Godfor a goodconscience--throughthe resurrectionof JesusChrist,
And everyonewho hasthishope[fixed] on Him purifieshimself,justas He is pure.
And Saulbuiltan altarto the LORD;it was the firstaltarthat he builtto the LORD.
