"But both manand beastmust be coveredwith sackcloth;and let men callon Godearnestlythat eachmay turnfrom his wickedwayand from the violencewhichis in his hands.
Althoughthere is noviolencein my hands,And my prayeris pure.
"He openstheir earto instruction,And commandsthat they returnfrom evil.
"Is thisnot the fastwhich I choose,To loosenthe bondsof wickedness,To undothe bandsof the yoke,And to letthe oppressedgofreeAnd breakeveryyoke?
Their webswill not becomeclothing,Norwill they coverthemselves with their works;Their worksare worksof iniquity,And an actof violenceis in their hands.
"So nowthen, speakto the menof Judahand againstthe inhabitantsof Jerusalemsaying,'Thussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am fashioningcalamityagainstyou and devisinga planagainstyou. Ohturnback,eachof you from his evilway,and reformyour waysand your deeds."'
saying,Turnnoweveryonefrom his evilwayand from the evilof your deeds,and dwellon the landwhichthe LORDhas givento you and your forefathersforeverand ever;
Perhapsthey will listenand everyonewill turnfrom his evilway,that I may repentof the calamitywhichI am planningto doto them becauseof the evilof their deeds.'
"Perhapsthe houseof Judahwill hearallthe calamitywhichI planto bringon them, in orderthat everymanwill turnfrom his evilway;then I will forgivetheir iniquityand their sin."
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
Therefore,O king,may my advicebe pleasingto you: breakawaynow from your sinsby [doing] righteousnessand from your iniquitiesby showingmercyto [the] poor,in casethere may be a prolongingof your prosperity.'
Consecratea fast,Proclaima solemnassembly;Gatherthe elders[And] allthe inhabitantsof the landTo the houseof the LORDyour God,And cryout to the LORD.
Then they calledon the LORDand said,"We earnestlypray,OLORD,do not let us perishon account of thisman'slifeand do not putinnocentbloodon us; for You, O LORD,have doneas You have pleased."
So the captainapproachedhim and said,"Howis it that you are sleeping?Getup, callon your god.Perhaps[your] godwill be concernedabout us so that we will not perish."
"Thereforebearfruitin keepingwith repentance;
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.
"Thereforerepentand return,sothat your sinsmay be wiped away,in orderthat timesof refreshingmay comefrom the presenceof the Lord;
"And I will grant[authority] to my twowitnesses,and they will prophesyfor twelvehundredand sixtydays,clothedin sackcloth."
