He delivers the poor in their affliction, and opens their ears in oppression.

then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.

He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

so that his life loathes bread, and his soul desirable food.

Yea, his soul draws near the Pit, and his life to the executioners.

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You have not asked.

Surely you did not hear, surely you did not know; surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deceive with treachery, and were called a transgressor from the womb.

Thus says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Jehovah your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.

The Lord Jehovah has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious, nor turned away backwards.

And a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who revered God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity; and those who scorn desire their scorning; and fools hate knowledge?

Turn back at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you; I will make my words known to you.

I call out to you, O men, and my voice is to the sons of men.

Understand wisdom, you simple ones; and you fools, be of an understanding heart.

Whoever is simple, turn in here; and to the one lacking heart, she says to him:

Forsake simplicity, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

Wash yourselves, purify yourselves. Put away the evil of your doings from My eyes; stop doing evil.

Come now and let us reason together, says Jehovah: Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken.

Seek Jehovah while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Jehovah, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

For thus says Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.

Circumcise yourselves to Jehovah, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Make your ways and your doings good, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

For if you thoroughly make your ways and your doings good; if you work to execute justice between a man and his neighbor;

then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ever.

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord Jehovah. Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity shall not be a stumbling block to you.

Cast away from you all the transgressions by which you have transgressed, and prepare for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; for why will you die, O house of Israel?

O Israel, return to Jehovah your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity.

Therefore bring forth fruits worthy of repentance,

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.