AME Zion Universal Reading July 23rd 2023

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 1

1These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on that side of the Jordan in the desert, in the plain opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel and Lavan and Hazeroth and Di Zahav.2"It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea."3It came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the Lord had commanded him regarding them;4After he had smitten Sihon, king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og, king of the Bashan, who dwelt in Ashtaroth in Edrei.5On that side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses commenced [and] explained this Law, saying,6"The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying, 'You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.7Turn and journey, and come to the mountain of the Amorites and to all its neighboring places, in the plain, on the mountain, and in the lowland, and in the south and by the seashore, the land of the Canaanites, and the Lebanon, until the great river, the Euphrates River.8See, I have set the land before you; come and possess the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them and their descendants after them.9And I said to you at that time, saying, 'I cannot carry you alone.10The Lord, your God, has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance.11May the Lord God of your forefathers add to you a thousandfold as many as you are, and may He bless you, as He spoke concerning you!

Matthew 13:34–43 (NLT):

34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:

“I will speak to you in parables.

I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.”

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained

36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

Second Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 1

12How can I bear your trouble, your burden, and your strife all by myself?13Prepare for yourselves wise and understanding men, known among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you.14And you answered me and said, 'The thing you have spoken is good for us to do.'15So I took the heads of your tribes, men wise and well known, and I made them heads over you, leaders over thousands, leaders over hundreds, leaders over fifties, and leaders over tens, and officers, over your tribes.16And I commanded your judges at that time, saying, "Hear [disputes] between your brothers and judge justly between a man and his brother, and between his litigant.17You shall not favor persons in judgment; [rather] you shall hear the small just as the great; you shall not fear any man, for the judgment is upon the Lord, and the case that is too difficult for you, bring to me, and I will hear it."18And I commanded you at that time all the things you should do.19And we journeyed from Horeb and went through all that great and fearful desert, which you saw, by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the Lord, our God, commanded us; and we came up to Kadesh barnea.20And I said to you, "You have come to the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord, our God, is giving us.21Behold, the Lord, your God, has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord, God of your fathers has spoken to you; you shall neither fear nor be dismayed."

Monday

Matthew 3:1–12 (NLT): John the Baptist Prepares the Way

In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,

“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!

Clear the road for him!’ ”

4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

Third Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 1

22And all of you approached me and said, "Let us send men ahead of us so that they will search out the land for us and bring us back word by which route we shall go up, and to which cities we shall come."23And the matter pleased me; so I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe.24And they turned and went up to the mountain, and they came to the valley of Eshkol and spied it out.25And they took some of the fruit of the land in their hand[s] and brought it down to us, brought us back word, and said, "The land the Lord, our God, is giving us is good."26But you did not want to go up, and you rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, your God.27You murmured in your tents and said, "Because the Lord hates us, He took us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand[s] of the Amorites to exterminate us."28Where shall we go up? Our brothers have discouraged us, saying, "A people greater and taller than we; cities great and fortified up to the heavens, and we have even seen the sons of Anakim there."29And I said to you, "Do not be broken or afraid of them.30The Lord, your God, Who goes before you He will fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your very eyes,31and in the desert, where you have seen how the Lord, your God, has carried you as a man carries his son, all the way that you have gone, until you have come to this place.32But regarding this matter, you do not believe the Lord, your God,33Who goes before you on the way, to search out a place for you, in which to encamp, in fire at night, to enable you to see on the way you should go, and in a cloud by day."34And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and He became angry and swore, saying,35'If any of these men of this evil generation sees the good land, which I swore to give your forefathers,36except Caleb the son of Jephunneh he will see it, and I will give him the land he trod upon, and to his children, because he has completely followed the Lord."37The Lord was also angry with me because of you, saying, "Neither will you go there.38But Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you he will go there; strengthen him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it.

Tuesday

Psalm 1:1–6 (NLT):

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,

meditating on it day and night.

3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Fourth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 1

39[Moreover] your little ones, whom you said will be prey, and your children, who on that day did not know good and evil they will go there and I will give it to them, and they will possess it.40But as for you, turn yourselves around and journey into the desert by way of the Red Sea."41Then you answered and said to me, "We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord, our God, has commanded us." So every one of you girded his weapons, and you prepared yourselves to go up to the mountain.42And the Lord said to me, "Say to them, 'Neither go up nor fight, for I am not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies.' "43So I spoke to you, but you did not listen, and you rebelled against the command of the Lord, and you acted wickedly and went up to the mountain.44And the Amorites, dwelling in that mountain, came out towards you and pursued you as bees do, and beat you down in Seir, as far as Hormah.45So you returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord would not hear your voice, nor would He listen to you.46And you dwelled in Kadesh many days, as the days that you dwelled.

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 2

1Then we turned and journeyed into the desert by way of the Red Sea, as the Lord had spoken to me, and we circled Mount Seir for many days.

Wednesday

2 Corinthians 13:1–10 (NLT): Paul’s Final Advice

This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”). 2 I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there on my second visit. Now I again warn them and all others, just as I did before, that next time I will not spare them.

3 I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you. 4 Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.

5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. 6 As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.

7 We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. 8 For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. 9 We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.

10 I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down.

Fifth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 2

2And the Lord spoke to me, saying,3You have circled this mountain long enough; turn northward.4And command the people saying, You are about to pass through the boundary of your kinsmen, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, and they will be afraid of you. Be very careful.5You shall not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land not so much as a foot step, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for an inheritance.6You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat, and also water you shall buy from them with money, that you may drink.7For the Lord, your God, has blessed you in all the work of your hand; He knows of your walking through this great desert; these forty years that the Lord your God has been with you, you have lacked nothing.8And we departed from our kinsmen, the children of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, by way of the plain from Elath and from Etzion Geber, and we turned and passed through the way of the desert of Moab.9And the Lord said to me, Do not distress the Moabites, and do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land [as] an inheritance, because I have given Ar to the children of Lot [as] an inheritance.10The Emim dwelt there formerly, a great and numerous people, and tall [in stature], as the Anakim;11They also are considered Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim.12And the Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, and the children of Esau were driving them out, and they exterminated them from before them and dwelt in their stead, just as the Israelites did to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord gave them.13Now get up and cross the brook of Zered. So we crossed the brook of Zered.14And the days when we went from Kadesh barnea, until we crossed the brook of Zered, numbered thirty eight years, until all the generation of the men of war expired from the midst of the camp, just as the Lord swore to them.15Also the hand of the Lord was upon them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp, until they were consumed.16So it was, when all the men of war finished dying from among the people,17that the Lord spoke to me saying,18Today you are crossing the boundary of Moab at Ar.19And when you approach opposite the children of Ammon, neither distress them, nor provoke them, for I will not give you of the land of the children of Ammon as an inheritance, because I have given it to the children of Lot as an inheritance.20It too is considered a land of Rephaim; Rephaim dwelt therein formerly, and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim.21A great, numerous and tall people as the Anakim, but the Lord exterminated them before them, and they drove them out and dwelt in their stead.22As He did to the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, when He exterminated the Horites from before them; and they drove them out and dwelt in their stead even to this day.23But the Avim, who dwell in open cities, up till Gaza -- the Caphtorites, who came forth of Caphtor, exterminated them, and dwelt in their stead.24Get up, journey, and cross the river Arnon. Behold, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: Begin to possess it, and provoke him to war.25Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you upon the nations that are under the entire heaven, who will hear reports of you and shake and be in trepidation because of you.26So I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to Sihon, king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying,27"Allow me to pass through your land: I will go along by the highway, I will turn neither to the right nor to the left."28You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat; and give to me water for money, that I may drink; I will only pass through by my feet.29Just as the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, and the Moabites who dwell in Ar, did for me; until I cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord our God is giving us."30But Sihon, king of Heshbon, did not wish to let us pass by him, for the Lord your God caused his spirit to be hardened and his heart to be obstinate, in order that He would give him into your hand, as this day.

Thursday

Psalm 139:11–24 (NLT):

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

To you the night shines as bright as day.

Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

18 I can’t even count them;

they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up,

you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!

Get out of my life, you murderers!

20 They blaspheme you;

your enemies misuse your name.

21 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?

Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?

22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,

for your enemies are my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Sixth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 2

31And the Lord said to me, "Behold I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land before you; begin to drive him out, that you may inherit his land."32Then Sihon went forth towards us, he and all his people, to war at Jahzah.33And the Lord our God delivered him to us; and we smote him and his sons and all his people.34And we conquered all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every city, the men, women, and the young children; we left over no survivor.35Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves with the spoil of the cities which we had taken.36From Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, even unto Gilead, there was not a city too high for us: the Lord our God delivered up all before us.37Only to the land of the children of Ammon you came not near; all the side of the river Yabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the Lord our God commanded us.

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 3

1Then we turned and went up the way of Bashan, and Og, the king of Bashan, came forth toward us, he and all his people, to war at Edrei.2And the Lord said to me, "Do not fear him, for I have given him, all his people, and his land into your hand, and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon."3So the Lord, our God, delivered into our hands also Og, the king of Bashan and all his people, and we smote him until no remnant remained of him.4And we conquered all his cities at that time; there was not a town that we did not take from them sixty cities, all the territory of Argob the kingdom of Og in Bashan.5All these cities were fortified with high walls, double doors, and bolts, in addition to a great many unwalled cities.6And we utterly destroyed them as we did to Sihon, king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every city, the men, the women, and the young children.7But all the beasts and the spoils of the cities, we took as spoil for ourselves.8At that time we took the land out of the hands of the two kings of the Amorites who were on that side of the Jordan, from the brook of Arnon to Mount Hermon.9The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion; and the Amorites call it Senir.10All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.11For only Og, king of Bashan, was left from the remnant of the Rephaim. His bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its breadth, according to the cubit of a man.12And this land, which we possessed at that time; from Aro'er, which is by the brook of Arnon, and half of Mount Gilead and its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites.13And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh; all the territory of Argob, all of Bashan; that is called the land of Rephaim.14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the territory of Argob to the boundaries of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and he called them, even Bashan, after his own name, villages of Jair, to this day.

Friday

Ecclesiastes 12:1–14 (NLT):

Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.

4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.

5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.

6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Concluding Thoughts about the Teacher

8 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”

9 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.

11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep.

12 But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.

13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

Seventh Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 3

15And to Machir I gave Gilead.16And to the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead to the brook of Arnon, the midst of the brook and the border, until the brook of Jabbok, which is the boundary of the children of Ammon,17the plain, the Jordan and the border thereof, from Kinnereth to the sea of the plain the Sea of Salt, under the waterfalls of Pisgah, eastward.18And I commanded you at that time saying, "The Lord, your God, has given you this land to possess it; pass over, armed, before your brothers, the children of Israel, all who are warriors.19But your wives, your young children, and your cattle for I know that you have much cattle shall dwell in your cities which I have given you,20until the Lord has given rest to your brothers, just as [He did] for you, and until they also possess the land which the Lord, your God, is giving them on the other side of the Jordan, then every man shall return to his possession, which I have given to you."21And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, "Your eyes have seen all that the Lord, your God, has done to these two kings. So will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you will pass.22Do not fear them, for it is the Lord, your God, Who is fighting for you."

Saturday

Matthew 13:24–33 (NLT): Parable of the Wheat and Weeds

24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

28 “ ‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“ ‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29 “ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’ ”

Parable of the Mustard Seed

31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Parable of the Yeast

33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

Maftir Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 3

20until the Lord has given rest to your brothers, just as [He did] for you, and until they also possess the land which the Lord, your God, is giving them on the other side of the Jordan, then every man shall return to his possession, which I have given to you."21And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, "Your eyes have seen all that the Lord, your God, has done to these two kings. So will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you will pass.22Do not fear them, for it is the Lord, your God, Who is fighting for you."

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 1

1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken; Children I have raised and exalted, yet they have rebelled against Me.3An ox knows his owner and a donkey his master's crib; Israel does not know, my people does not consider.4Woe to a sinful nation, a people heavy with iniquity, evildoing seed, corrupt children. They forsook the Lord; they provoked the Holy One of Israel; they drew backwards.5Why are you beaten when you still continue to rebel? Every head is [afflicted] with illness and every heart with malaise.6From the sole of the foot until the head there is no soundness-wounds and contusions and lacerated sores; they have not sprinkled, neither have they been bandaged, nor was it softened with oil.7Your land is desolate; your cities burnt with fire. Your land-in your presence, strangers devour it; and it is desolate as that turned over to strangers.8And the daughter of Zion shall be left like a hut in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.9"Had not the Lord of Hosts left us a remnant, we would soon be like Sodom; we would resemble Gomorrah."10Hear the word of the Lord, O rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah!11Of what use are your many sacrifices to Me? says the Lord. I am sated with the burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle; and the blood of bulls and sheep and hegoats I do not want.12When you come to appear before Me, who requested this of you, to trample My courts?13You shall no longer bring vain meal-offerings, it is smoke of abomination to Me; New Moons and Sabbaths, calling convocations, I cannot [bear] iniquity with assembly.14Your New Moons and your appointed seasons My soul hates, they are a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing [them].15And when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you, even when you pray at length, I do not hear; your hands are full of blood.16Wash, cleanse yourselves, remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes, cease to do evil.17Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the robbed, perform justice for the orphan, plead the case of the widow.18Come now, let us debate, says the Lord. If your sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as snow; if they prove to be as red as crimson dye, they shall become as wool.19If you be willing and obey, you shall eat the best of the land.20But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord spoke.21How has she become a harlot, a faithful city; full of justice, in which righteousness would lodge, but now murderers.22Your silver has become dross; your wine is diluted with water.23Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and runs after payments; the orphan they do not judge, and the quarrel of the widow does not come to them.24"Therefore," says the Master, the Lord of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, "Oh, I will console Myself from My adversaries, and I will avenge Myself of My foes.25And I will return My hand upon you and purge away your dross as with lye, and remove all your tin.26And I will restore your judges as at first and your counsellors as in the beginning; afterwards you shall be called City of Righteousness, Faithful City.27Zion shall be redeemed through justice and her penitent through righteousness.